The 21-year-old has flown the flags for a number of years to show respect for his friends in the military and honour his late grandad who served in the Army.
Declan Layton has refused to remove the flags and says he is willing to (Image: SWNS)
A man has been ordered to stop flying a Union Jack flag and a military standard outside his home because they are in a communal garden. Declan Layton, 21, hoisted the flags six years ago to show respect for his pals in the military and to honour his late grandad who served in the Army.
He has flown both flags outside his rented home in Droitwich, Worcestershire, but has now been ordered to take them down.His landlord says Declan doesn’t have permission to fly the flags because the poles have been erected in a communal garden. They are technically on land which is not included in Declan’s tenancy agreement.
Declan Layton, 21, says he has “utmost respect” for the military (Image: SWNS)
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Declan, a part-time DJ who lives with his dad Stuart, 60, has refused to remove the flags, saying he is willing to “fight for my freedom”.
He said: “I have mates in the military and my grandfather was in the Army so it was to honour them.
“I’ve always loved the military and had the utmost respect for the brave men and women who have served and are serving.”
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Declan, who’s neighbour also flies his own Union Jack flag in his own garden, says most people approve of his show of patriotism.
He says he has had just one negative incident since he started flying them in 2019.
He added: “I have had the flags up for about six years without any complaints until I had this lady tell me that I needed to take them down because it was racist to have them up.
“I refused to remove them because it is important to me to show my support for my country and those in the military and she moved away about a year later.”
Despite claiming people regularly congratulate him on his flags, Declan ran into trouble with his landlord.
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He added: “We had a property manager over for an inspection and he said that we needed to take down the flagpoles, but I have been living here for six years and they have never told me to take them down before.
“He was talking about how it did not follow rules, but I have looked up the laws and regulations for flying flags and the height of the pole cannot be more than 4.6 metres, which I have.
“It is about freedom, our rights and showing respect for veterans.
“Not a lot of people fly their own flag nowadays, which is a real shame, but I support the military and I do not see how that is racist.”
The part-time DJ has posted videos of his flags on TikTok and told his followers about the ban.
In a matter of days, his videos went viral with more than 100,000 views, shares and likes from people around the world.
Residents living nearby have also thrown their weight behind him.
One said: “Declan is an example of what so many young people in this country are lacking which is respect for the country and the service of others.
“He should be commended for flying the flags, not punished by some jobsworth with a pen.”
Another neighbour added: “I walk my dog down an alleyway and past the house and see the flags fluttering every day and it makes me smile.
“My friend’s son is in the Army and is often away and I think it’s so important to remember those risking their lives so we can live safely.
“I love seeing the flags and would be so sad to see them come down for the sake of a petty rule.”
Citizen Housing, which manages the property, confirmed the two flag poles are on communal grounds which is in breach of the tenancy agreement.
Peter Gill, director of Housing Care and Support, said: “We have been made aware of two flag poles which have been cemented into the ground without permission in the communal gardens at Oatfields Trent Close, Droitwich.
“As this is communal land and not part of the property which Mr Layton rents from us, we have asked him to remove these flags.
“Our communal gardens are shared between our customers and therefore we do not allow items such as flags, greenhouses or sheds belonging to one customer on the land.”
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