Boy's pirate flag banned for breaching adversting laws

An autistic seven-year-old boy has been forced to take down a toy pirate flag in his garden - because it breaches advertising rules.

Parents Ronnie Ford-Kennedy and Sara Steele put up the skull and crossbones in the back garden of their home in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, for Anthony, who has Asperger's Syndrome - a form of autism.

But the couple have been given just 28 days to take down the flag - or face court action.

East Lindsey District Council says the flag, erected on a fishing pole in the couple's back garden, needs advertising consent.

They were told they can fly any national flag - but not the skull and crossbones.

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Mr Ford-Kennedy told the Lincolnshire Echo: "Anthony likes playing pirates and when I have my daughters here, they all play pirates together. The flag has been up for three months. I found the letter shocking to say the least.

"Anthony has to be told things prior to what is happening because of his syndrome. We've told him we've got to take the flag down, but he doesn't really understand and neither do we.

"If it just affected me I would not be bothered but this is going to affect a little boy."

James Gilbert, spokesman from East Lindsey District Council, insisted the local authority's hands were tied.

He told Yahoo! News: "A pirate flag in a garden on a child’s play equipment should not be against planning regulations and we’d appeal to the Government to review this section of the Advertising Regulations. Not only has it put us in a difficult position but the family too.

"This is a situation where we’d rather the family could fly the flag legitimately but national planning law states they need advertising consent to do so.

"We are happy to offer advice on the types of flag they can fly without permission."