A little bit of Yorkshire Down Under (From Gazette & Herald)

A little bit of Yorkshire Down Under

NORTH Yorkshire ex-pats are flying the flag for their home county - Down Under.

The White Rose of Yorkshire has been raised in Australia, in support of a Ryedale farmer who was told he was breaching the law when he flew a similar banner near his home.

The overseas act of solidarity came about when civil servant Faith Pattison, 26, of Gilling East, near Malton, travelled to Capalaba, near Brisbane, to see her aunt and uncle, Liz and Jeff Horn, and her cousins, then to Melbourne to visit her brother, Ben Pattison, his fiance Anna Dodd, and their two-year-old son, Oscar.

Faith, who is now back in Britain, explained that while she was Down Under it was revealed that farmer Andrew Wainwright, of Sproxton, near Helmsley, had been told by Ryedale District Council officials that he had to apply for advertising consent to fly the White Rose, and must pay a £60 charge. Some locals bought Yorkshire flags to support him - including Faith's parents, who posted it out to Australia for her.

Faith, who is treasurer, scorer and press officer at Hovingham Cricket Club, said: "My family were absolutely thrilled with it. We put it up in the garden and it's still up now. We're proud to be from Yorkshire.

"My aunt, uncle and their children have been in Australia for 15 years and their children are Australian citizens, but they still consider themselves to be a Yorkshire family."

Faith's mother, her brother, Mr Horn and their sister, Carolyn Waterfield, were born at Church Fenton, near Tadcaster, and Mrs Horn was born at Bramham.

The district council has sought the help of Ryedale MP John Greenway in pushing for a change in the law which meant its officers had to tell Mr Sproxton to seek planning permission to fly his flag.

Updated: 11:04 Monday, May 10, 2004