Taxi drivers have been warned not to display St George's Cross flags on their vehicles during the World Cup.

Drivers in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, have been told they could be punished by the council's licensing committee for displaying the flags on their cars.

A worker at local company City-Lynx Taxis in the former industrial town said: 'It's disappointing. Flying flags is showing patriotism.'

Fans put St George's flags on their cars in London to support England during Euro 2004

But Barrow Borough Council public protection manager Graham Barker told how the flags were banned because they could distract drivers of other vehicles.

Mr Barker said: 'We don't want taxis with clip-on flags or internal flags. It's not allowed. It may well distract drivers of other vehicles.

When taxi drivers have been banned from flying England flags During World Cup 2006, taxi drivers in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, were banned from flying flags from their passenger windows. This was over fears the flags could hit passengers in the eye or fall off and hit someone - but flags on the driver's side of the car were still allowed. In the same year, Cheltenham Borough Council banned taxi drivers from flying flags over safety fears, but changed their minds after a public outcry. For Euro 2004, taxi drivers in Rochdale and Bury, Greater Manchester, were warned they could lose their licence if they were seen displaying a flag. And during World Cup 2002, a taxi driver in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, was told to remove the flags on his car because it was not a 'safe practice'. Advertisement

'If regulations are contravened, we would contact the company to enforce them. A complaint would be passed to the licensing committee for a hearing.'

The National Private Hire Association said all councils have different policies on taxi drivers displaying flags, but 'very few' ban the practice outright.

A spokesman said yesterday that the only way for drivers to get around a ban would be to take the council to court over the interpretation of licensing conditions, but this would be too expensive.

She told MailOnline: 'As it gets near the time, why does it distract the drivers? We get a lot of private people who put them in their own cars.

'The public aren't going to stand in the middle of the road and get knocked down. It seems a bit mad.'

It comes after Royal Mail banned its 125,000 delivery workers from displaying flags and stickers to cheer on England for health and safety reasons.

All walking or cycling postmen and delivery drivers were barred from putting mini St George's flags or stickers on their trolleys, bicycles, vans and lorries.

It's disappointing. Flying flags is showing patriotism Worker at City-Lynx Taxis in Barrow

Bosses claimed the flags and stickers could blow off and become 'hazards' - with the ban affecting all 125,000 delivery staff, based at 1,400 delivery depots across Britain.

Staff branded the ban 'bonkers', but Royal Mail chiefs said any member of staff would be allowed to display the flags within their offices.