Fallen bunting '˜could have caused an accident'

Cllr Liam Mackle voiced concern as large clumps of bunting fell across the town centre last Thursday night, just weeks after the town was bedecked in union bunting.

However, Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie branded the concern ‘laughable’ and asked where their concern was for Easter Rebellion flags or election posters.

Cllr Mackle said: “This bunting, which is covering our town centre, fell down at some point on Thursday night. This could easily have caused a traffic accident if it had fallen on the windscreen of a moving car. It highlights the lack of responsibility of the faceless individuals who put this bunting up.

“If an accident had been caused we have to consider who would have been liable. If the answer is tax payers - through Transport NI - then that is simply unacceptable.

“It is time bunting and flags were removed from our town.”

Mr Beattie said: “This statement from Sinn Fein is absolutely laughable. What on earth do they think bunting is made off.

“At no stage did I hear them call for flags to be taken down during the Easter Rebellion commemorations, neither have I heard them raise concerns about election posters or other non permanent advertising material. This is a desperate attempt to find problems were there are none and should be seen as nothing more than attention seeking in order to find relevance.”

“That said I shall write to the police to get the statistics of how many people have been injured by dangerous falling bunting. I will also ask for statistics as to how many vehicle accidents there have been now this dangerous bunting issue has been identified.”