A EX-SOLDIER has claimed victory in his war with a town council which flew a European Union flag over a war memorial.

Michael Woods launched a campaign to get the European flag, which flew on a pole behind Longridge's main war memorial, removed after spotting it fluttering underneath the Union Jack on Europe Day, May 9.

Mr Woods, 51 who runs a shoe repair shop in the town and spent 24 years in the army, immediately whipped up a storm of protest about the flag -- and ended up addressing Longridge Town Council about his gripe.

Now the council has agreed never to fly the Europe flag above the war memorial again and insisted it never intended to cause any offence.

Mr Woods, who served with the Queen's Lancashire Regiment and was among the soldiers put on stand-by for the Falklands War, said: "I am pleased the council listed to me and other people.

"My concern was that it was a bit disrespectful to the many people whose names are on the war memorial.

"The flag pole isn't part of the memorial, but it is just just behind it.

"We might be part of Europe now, but the men on the memorial gave their lives to fight against some of the countries now in the European Union, countries which didn't give us any support when we went to war with Iraq.

"I was asked to speak at a town council meeting and other people came along with me. I am pleased that they have listened, because I think it offended a lot of people.

"This time of year is particularly poignant for people who have served in the military. The Dunkirk landings took place, and the Battle of the Somme took place, and hundreds of local lives were lost. That should also be remembered."

Coun Jim Rogerson, mayor of Longridge, said: "The European flag has flown there for several years and, to be honest, we hadn't given it a second thought.

"But having heard the concerns, we accept that maybe that isn't the best place for it. In future, we will not fly the European Flag there. I would like to point out that it was flown below the Union Jack, which is the correct way of doing it.

"I am not sure where we will fly it in the short-term."