PEOPLE in Flintshire have been pinning their colours to the mast over the county’s new flag.
Shoppers in Mold gave Flintshire’s new official flag a mixed reaction after it was unfurled for the first time in the Leader yesterday.  Some people say they are happy with the predominantly black and white banner, based on the coat of arms belonging to 11th Century lord Edwin Tegeingl. But others have criticised it for its lack of colour and “drab appearance”.The flag depicts four choughs, said to have historically nested on Flintshire’s coast, engrailed in a black flory cross on a white background. Roger Perkins, 67, from Gwernymynydd is a supporter of the new standard.He said: “It is a nice design and I like it.“The flag is very striking and I can’t think of anything better to have on it.” Margaret Zachary, 82, of Rhosesmor, said: “I don’t mind the flag.“I was born in Wales and it is a change from having the dragon on things although I wouldn’t really know what it represents.”However, others spoke less favourably and even had a few ideas of their own about what should be represented. Rob Davies, 28, of Mold said: “The birds look like crows but they may as well have been seagulls because we see more of them.“It is hard to say what makes a flag but they could have had other things on it, Daniel Owen maybe.“I didn’t know we had an official flag but if it is put up somewhere it might be nice.” Another Mold resident, Mike Williams, 76, said: “I would like to see more colour in it. It looks a bit drab.“I’m sure they could have thought of something better. I wouldn’t know what it was and it’s not very inspirational.” Colette Duvauchelle, who also lives in the town, said: “It would be good to have more colour in it.“I suppose the choughs are as good as anything but there could have been more variation.” The 62-year-old’s opinion was backed up by fellow Mold resident Sue Evans, 70.She added: “I am not impressed by it. It looks spooky and there is no colour.“The Bailey Hill or a castle would have looked better. It is drab.” The Flintshire Flag Supporters Group say the images have been used “as a primary emblem of Flintshire for centuries” after the Flag Institute granted the county its official flag. However, its relationship with Edwin Tegeingl (Edwin ap Gronwy) Lord or King of Tegeingl which later formed the core of the county, has been questioned.Local historian, Charles Evans-Gunther, from Flint, said: “I have nothing against the ‘new’ flag and look forward to it fluttering on flag-poles in the near future.“But what has to be pointed out is that the coat of arms was only attributed retrospectively to Edwin of Tegeingl. “There was no form of heraldry in the 11th Century and heraldry cannot be found in Wales until the mid 13th Century.“Also, descendants of Edwin never followed the system with each member having different coats of arms when heraldry become popular in Wales.“The coat of arms actually was not credited to Edwin until the 15th or 16th century during the Tudor period.”