‘I fly a huge St George's Cross flag outside my house - why should only the French do it?’

Proud Britons are proudly flying their England flags outside their homes - despite fierce backlash against the St George's Cross.

Patriot Alan Bell insists “it's not far right” just because he chooses to fly his St George’s Cross on the country’s national day, today Tuesday, April 23, which marks the death of the Patron Saint of England.

It comes after it was revealed that one in eight Labour voters believe the cross is “racist” and “divisive”.

Alan Bell, 68, is a farmer who lives in the village of Yearby near Guisborough, in North Yorkshire, with his wife Julie, 65, retired.

His St George’s Cross flag flies at the entrance to his farm along a main road - and Alan says he’s just celebrating being English.

'We are losing our identity'

Alan said: “It’s not a political statement.

“It’s to celebrate St George’s Day - I like to celebrate the special days. I really think that St George’s Day should be a public holiday. I think that we are losing our identity and feel like we are being taken over.”

Alan says that although no one has asked him to take his flag down, that he has heard of it happening - and can’t understand why as other European countries proudly celebrate their heritage.

He said: “I have heard stories about people being asked to take flags down - I do hear stories like that.

“There are lots of other flags that can be flown and there’s no problem. I say just leave things alone - we are English.”

“I just don’t know what that thinking is - if you're not politically correct these days you’re jumped on.

“I’m not far right for flying my flag and celebrating the British way of life. The French have their traditions and the Germans have theirs."

He added: “There are people coming over and living in our country and we don’t bother them for having religious festivals - we let them get on with it. And I think they should let us get on with it."

Alan recounts his dad once being asked by a policeman what his nationality was and his grandfather saying “I’m a Yorkshireman, Englishman and British after that".

Alan said: “I take after that.”

Just up the road another property near Guisborough has had a flagpole installed in the garden that fronts onto a busy dual carriageway.

It belongs to Paul Jackson, 45, whose mum Lynne, 67, would celebrate St George's Day with an annual fancy dress event.

Lynne, who used to run a social club in Lazenby village before retiring, said: “We used to have a day where everybody got dressed up. We would have a Knight of the Day. It was a busy day."

Her husband Brian, 66, said: “We used to celebrate it big style. I came in one day on a horse.”

Lynne said she feels the flag symbolises your heritage.

She said: “I think it’s important to know your heritage - why can’t we celebrate our saint? People should know our history.

“A lot of people get offended and I just can’t see that. I really can’t. We live in a free society.”

The grandmother to eight gives the example of people choosing to fly Israel and Palestinian flags.

She added: “It shouldn’t bother anybody.”

Ian, 59, from Birmingham, runs his own jewellery business and has a St George's Cross on a flagpole outside his house. Since 2004 Ian has been helping to run a popular annual St George's Day Parade in the city.

Thousands turned out on Sunday, April 20 for the annual event, which he said is to show pride in being English.

He said: “For years the Union Jack was seen as a racist symbol with the national front using it, but in the last 15 or 20 years it's become more acceptable.

“It's been helped by the popularity of the monarchy as well, so we have taken it back from the racists. The same can be said with the St George's Cross.

“I'm proud of being English. We are trying to bring that back. It doesn't matter who you are, your sexuality, your skin colour, your religion, if you are proud to be English then you're proud to be English.”

He added: “I have the St George's Cross on a flagpole outside my house. I don't get any reaction to it at all. And to be honest, it wouldn't bother me if it did. It's not hurting anyone.”

But what about those who say the flag is racist?

Ian said: “If people find it offensive that's up to them. There's plenty of things that offend me but I just ignore it and carry on.”

You can have your say as to whether or no you think the St George's Cross is racist or not here.