THE flag raised at Hungerford Library to celebrate St George’s day was vandalised on Sunday night, less than a week after it was first flown.
The flag was one of several raised in the town before England’s national day on Wednesday last week, and it was discovered with the rope cut by Hungerford Town councillor David Liddiard on Monday.
Mayor of Hungerford, Peter Harries, said he believed it had been vandalised, and would check footage from CCTV cameras pointed at the area surrounding the library for any evidence.
“That is the response some people have to our national flag, to vandalise it,” he said.
“It’s disgraceful. The rope has been cut and the tags holding the flag in place have been ripped off.”
A flag was also raised by members of Hungerford Royal British Legion and the town council at the war memorial in Bridge Street ahead of St George’s Day, which remained intact.
The flag, which was donated to the British Legion by the town council and funded by Wilson Homes, was hoisted high above the memorial by the chairman of the British Legion’s Hungerford branch, John North.
“It was a low-key gathering,” said Mr North. “The British Legion looks after the war memorial, and I was asked out of respect to put the flag up.”
St George’s flag was also flown above St Lawrence Church in the town.
Among groups celebrating on St George’s Day was Hungerford Rotary Club, which had organised a dinner of English roast beef and apple pie at the Croft Hall.
They were entertained by Hungerford Town Band and the Bedwyn Millenium Choir, who played and sang the patriotic hymn Jerusalem, as well as Land of Hope and Glory and the national anthem, God Save the Queen.
Spokesman for the club, James Brown, said: “The Croft Hall was full to capacity, and next year we’re planning to have a dinner in the Corn Exchange, so more people can come. We’re trying to bring back St George’s Day celebrations in Hungerford.”
The dinner raised almost £700 for charity The Smile Train, which funds operations on babies and children with cleft pallets in the developing world.