SELBY youngsters have shown their civic pride by helping raise the Union flag at the district council's town centre office.

During last month's full council meeting, Brian Percival, deputy leader of Selby District Council, made a formal request to Martin Connor, the authority's chief executive, that the council fly the flag at the Civic Centre, in Portholme Road.

Councillors supported the motion, and now the flag has been hoisted.

Coun Percival said some repair work had had to be carried out on the flagpole, which had been damaged by vandals.

But now he hoped the Union flag would inspire pride in Selebians, including the two Selby High School pupils, Alice Thomas and Rebecca Brant, chosen to help raise the standard.

"The girls were really pleased to be doing it - it's part of civic pride," he said.

"It was a wonderful event, full of civic pride for the young people - you could see that from the smiles on their faces.

"I'm dedicated to this because of my feeling of commitment to the community - I never left the Boy Scouts really."

Until recently, public buildings faced restrictions over when they could fly the flag, limiting the practice to 18 days per year.

In July, Prime Minister Gordon Brown scrapped the rule, leaving it up to individual offices when they fly it.

That month, Nigel Adams, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Selby and Ainsty, wrote to Selby and Tadcaster town councils - as well as the district council - urging them to take advantage of the rule change.

Mr Adams said: "I'm delighted. Flying the flag puts a sense of pride into communities. I am pleased that the council has gone with public opinion and flown the flag.

"We wanted to install civic pride, as they do in other European countries.

"It also sends out a positive message to people living and working in the district who come from other countries, for instance the large Polish community."

Mr Adams said the town councils had acknowledged his letters and would consider the proposal at their next meetings.

The subject caused controversy in the town last year, when district councillors refused planning permission to allow historic department store Wetherells to keep its flagpoles, backing down only on appeal.