Man refuses to take down pirate flag

ASHTEAD, England, May 6 (UPI) -- A suburban London man said he will not take down a pirate flag he erected for his daughter's birthday party, despite threats of legal action.

David Waterman, 41, a firefighter from the London suburb of Ashtead, said he purchased a $10 Jolly Roger and put it up outside his house for his daughter's pirate-themed eighth birthday party, The Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

However, he said he left the flag flying after the party, and seven weeks later, on April 21, he received a letter from a Mole Valley council official warning him that he had seven days to remove the flag before he would face legal action.

"I find it ridiculous that the council are fighting me over this," Waterman said. "It's a 5 pound ($10) flag, not hurting anyone, and they're probably spending hundreds of pounds of our cash getting me to take it down. That could be spent on improving the local area it's disgraceful."

Local laws only give homeowners the right to fly the country's flag or a flag advertising a business.

A Mole Valley council spokesman said officials have not yet decided whether to pursue legal actions against Waterman. However, the firefighter said he will not back down from the issue.

"This is a point of principle and I'm standing firm," he said.