
A pensioner has revealed his incredible collection of 680 flags, including one of every country and US state.

Grandfather Alex Adlam, 74, keeps Britain's biggest private collection of flags neatly folded up in boxes at his small bungalow in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

He has four flagpoles at his home - two in the front and two in the back - and flies different flags every day.

His wife even updates a daily notice board with details and fun facts about the banners which are flying on that day.

Retired painter and decorator and father-of-two Alex is a collector of flags - also known as a vexillologist.

He started 12 years ago and his hoard is only bettered in Britain by The National Maritime Museum Collection.

Proud collector and father-of-two Alex says his hoard is only bettered in Britain by The National Maritime Museum Collection

Alex said that the display has attracted a great deal of interest over the years - but he says he has never had anyone say anything negative

Alex Adlam with some of his flags, he says he has spent 12 years amassing the collection of 680 banners from around the world

Retired painter and decorator Alex is a collector of flags - also known as a vexillologist and claims that his neighbours are also

These incredible pictures show his flags spread across the garden of his modest home - including his own personal crest flag.

Alex estimates that he has spent around £4,000 on the flags over the past 12 years - and he isn't stopping there.

He said: 'I keep buying more I'm very passionate about my flags. I now have to look for unusual ones as I have got all the common ones.

'I'd always had an interest in geography and history and that lends itself to taking an interest in flags so I got a pole and started to buy a few.

'It's a subject that's absolutely wonderful - it's an education to me. What are they depicting?

'I like to get the flags up by 6:30am every day after I feed the cats. I then take them down around 8pm, depending on the time of year.'

Alex said that the display has attracted a great deal of interest over the years - but he says he has never had anyone say anything negative.

Alex Adlam, 74, keeps Britain's biggest private collection of flags neatly folded up in boxes at his small bungalow in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Alex estimates that he has spent around £4,000 on the flags over the past 12 years - and he isn't stopping there, intending to add to his collection

Alex has four flagpoles at his home - two in the front and two in the back - and flies different flags every day, even taking suggestions from neighbours

Describing his love of flags, Alex said: 'I'd always had an interest in geography and history and that lends itself to taking an interest in flags so I got a pole and started to buy a few'

He said: 'I keep buying more I'm very passionate about my flags. I now have to look for unusual ones as I have got all the common ones'

Alex keeps all of the flags neatly wrapped up in boxes at his home and says that his wife is supportive of his collection

He also has a suggestion box in which residents can leave a request for a particular flag to be flown.

Alex said: 'One woman put four names of flags down just the other day - I happened to have three but didn't have the city of Amsterdam one. I've ordered it for her.

'I think my rarest - and favourite - is a 48-star American flag. I think it was awarded to the Post Office in Bristol after the Second World War. It was used from 1912 to 1959.

'If I put that on eBay I could get a lot of money but I'm not tempted. I love my own crest of arms, too.'

His wife Susan, 76, supports his interest by writing the text displayed about each flag and, luckily, some of Mr Adlam's neighbours are also into vexillology.

Alan Nicholson and Paul Ryder both live nearby and they also fly flags - often the St George's Cross or Union Jack.

Mr Nicholson said: 'I raise a flag for various occasions throughout the year. I'm very proud to be British and that's why I do it.

Alex has a suggestion box in which residents can leave a request for a particular flag to be flown, and he puts them up at 6.30am every day

Neighbours Alan Nicholson and Paul Ryder both also fly flags - often the St George's Cross or Union Jack - though their collections aren't as extensive as Alex's

Alex added: 'I think my rarest - and favourite - is a 48-star American flag. I think it was awarded to the Post Office in Bristol after the Second World War. It was used from 1912 to 1959'

Alex even has his own personal crest on a flag and admits that some of his collection could make a lot of money online - though he is not tempted

'On different days I will fly different flags. September is Battle of Britain Day so I'll fly the RAF flag.

'October is Trafalgar Day so I will fly the Royal Navy flag. In June it's Armed Forces Day so I will fly an Armed Forces Day flag and in November you fly the Remembrance flag.'

Mr Ryder flies his flags slightly further away from his two neighbours.

He said: 'I've lived in Warden Hill for the past 35 years and I was the first guy to put up a flagpole.

'The original reason was I travelled all over Europe and the world but also if you go to America, and it's a heck of a thing to say, every house has the national flag and their state flag.

'So I thought I 'd like to do that. That's what I did.'