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One man has found his own way to keep the flag flying about Brexit: by secretly raising the EU flag on an empty flagpole at the Neath Port Talbot Council offices.

On Sunday, August 19, just before it was getting dark, Steve Bray snuck into the car park and erected a brand new EU flag to one of three flagpoles stood outside the offices.

For Mr Bray, his act of defiance was to spread his rather simple message: that he believes Wales and Port Talbot are better off in Europe.

He said: “Port Talbot has received millions in funding from the EU, yet flies a tatty Union and Welsh flag only.

“They even had a pole with nothing on it. Not anymore - they now have a brand new EU flag they can be proud of.”

(Image: Steve Bray)

But 12 hours later, the flag was removed by staff at Neath Port Talbot council.

A spokesman said: "The current protocol of the council is to fly the Union Flag and the Flag of Wales on a permanent basis, with other flags flown only on specific dates of national or local commemoration.

“The flagpoles are not for use by members of the public, regardless of their reasons for doing so."

But Mr Bray had other ideas.

On Tuesday, August 21, he blagged his way past a security guard in the early hours of the morning.

This time he claimed he had permission from Steven Phillips, chief executive of Neath Port Talbot Council, to re-erect his flag.

Staff arriving for work were once again greeted by the sight of the blue and yellow flag fluttering in the breeze.

Again, the flag was removed.

But Mr Bray has no intention of quitting his one-man campaign against Brexit.

“I’m going to try and get a third one up. The council are deliberately obtuse over this and prefer a barren pole,” he said.

Mr Bray is no stranger to campaigning for what he believes in. The ardent remainer can usually be found stood outside Westminster, London, wearing a blue top hat and a blue T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Stand Of Defiance European Movement”.

It might not be the catchiest of titles for the movement he set up, but the initials spell SODEM, which is pretty much how he feels about about the Brexiteers.

(Image: SODEM)

(Image: SODEM)

The rare coin dealer from Port Talbot became an accidental activist, aged 48, after he became sick of watching the slowly unfolding Brexit situation from his home in south Wales.

He decided to take some time off work and head to London to protest about Brexit. He initially slept rough in Hyde Park to save money, but now stays with fellow activists he met after travelling to the capital.

Ever since September 2017, on every day that parliament has sat, he has spent seven hours a day at a spot on the pavement at Westminster’s Old Palace Yard, telling anyone who cares to listen his opinion that the UK is heading for disaster.

"My message is that it's never too late to stop Brexit," said Mr Bray.

"It's a wrong turn for the country."

He has returned to his home in Port Talbot for the summer recess, where he hasn't lost any time in carrying on with his campaigning to remain.

(Image: Steve Bray)

Port Talbot voted overwhelmingly for Brexit at the referendum in 2016, with nearly 57% voting to leave the EU. But according to Mr Bray, this was a mistake.

"I think people in Port Talbot believed in the false hope and promises of the vote leave campaign. In reality there was never going to be anything better," he said.

"No one that voted in the referendum is getting what they voted for, that is not democracy.

"Now people are more aware of the European Union and the consequences of leaving, it is time to think again.

"Every single deprived area of Britain voted to leave. Those are the ones that will pay the biggest price - those that can least afford it. Socially and economically, Brexit will devastate Britain for decades."

He will return to London on September 4 to resume his campaigning.

He said: "I have been relentless online and off ever since the referendum was announced, I'll never give up."