New signposts in Brun Valley Forest Park give distances in kilometres, not miles

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“We are supposed to be coming out of Europe so why the hell have they put signs up in kilometres?”

And it's left locals - who voted strongly in favour of leaving the EU - both confused and angry.

Rather than using the UK's preferred imperial system of miles, the 45 signs around Brun Valley Forest Park in Burnley, Lancashire, point the way in kilometres.

The patriotic granddad also invoked the Blitz spirit as he lamented how his country had won two World Wars and a referendum only to have the signage at his local park seemingly dictated to by Brussels.

Angler Ian Mann said he was "confused" the imperial system wasn't used on the signposts “because that’s what everyone uses".

Jayne Adye, from Brexit-backing campaign group Get Britain Out, said the signs were "ridiculous" and suggested it could be Burnley's Labour-run council taking revenge on the 66.4 per cent of residents who voted to Leave.

According to Labour's pro-Remain MP Julie Cooper the signs were part of a fitness trial and designed to help joggers using tracking devices, many of which measure distance in metric units.

But she conceded that she too was puzzled when she first saw the signs.

A council spokesman said: “Burnley has some beautiful places to visit, whatever way you want to measure it.”