Officials in the English city where a former Russian double agent was poisoned with a nerve agent last year have denounced the placing of a huge Russian flag on the city's cathedral.

Key points: Salisbury's representative in Parliament said the flag placement was a "stupid stunt" that mocked serious events

Salisbury's representative in Parliament said the flag placement was a "stupid stunt" that mocked serious events Ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in Salisbury last March

Ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned in Salisbury last March Moscow has denied any wrongdoing

Workmen were seen removing the flag from scaffolding on the side of Salisbury Cathedral on Sunday morning.

Salisbury's representative in Parliament, John Glen, said the "stupid stunt" mocked the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, which took place in the city in early March.

"Thankfully it has been removed now — what a stupid stunt — mocking the serious events sadly experienced in Salisbury last year," he tweeted.

The Dean of Salisbury, Nicholas Papadopulos, told the Salisbury Journal "this was a remarkably stupid thing to do and makes light of the huge personal tragedies involved, and the damage done to the city by the unprecedented nerve agent attacks on Salisbury last year".

Mr Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with the military-grade nerve agent Novichok last year.

Both Skripals survived after weeks in the hospital.

Two Britons, Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, also fell critically ill after handling what police called a "contaminated item" near the site of the March attack.

Ms Sturgess died in hospital in July.

The local police department said in a statement it was aware of the flag but said it was not a police matter.

Moscow has denied any wrongdoing.

Britain accused Russia of poisoning Mr Skripal with the Novichok nerve agent, the first known offensive use of such a chemical weapon on European soil since World War II.

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AP/ABC