For the first time, Lancastrians can wave this county flag ... without having to get planning permission first.

But as the Scottish town of Montrose had already registered a flag with a red rose and white background, Lancashire has had to brighten things up.

This new design has now officially been registered with the Flag Institute – meaning proud Lancastrians are free to wave it at will.

Chris Dawson, chairman of the Friends of Real Lancashire, which registered the flag, said: "The Lancashire coat of arms is yellow and red, so the yellow seemed to be an appropriate colour.

"It seems to have been favourably accepted by everyone who has seen it. I think it will show up better than the white, which often clashes against the clouds.We'd like to see everybody flying the Lancashire flag. We want to see it on public buildings."

The Flag Institute's chief flag expert, or vexillologist, Graham Bartram said: "One of our rules is that you can't have two flags which are the same, so we suggested that they modify the background.

"It's quite a striking flag and we did research to make sure it was a Lancashire rose. The middle sepal on the Lancashire rose points upwards but downwards on the Yorkshire rose."