Castle flag is stolen by vandals

The damage to the pole means no flag will fly at the castle in the near future

The Union Jack at a famous Nottingham landmark has been stolen and the flagpole damaged.

Nottingham Castle staff have appealed for information about the theft and vandalism on the landmark's South Terrace.

The damage to the pulley system of the pole means that no flag will fly in the grounds for the near future, general manager Dave Green said.

He described it as an "immense disappointment".

"It is very unfortunate and upsetting that such a mindless act of vandalism has taken place on our site," he said.

"The flag pole on the South Terrace is a focal point for many activities held here and very popular with tourists and local residents alike.

"We are currently assessing the damage caused to establish just how much it will cost to repair and how long it will be before the city's landmark flies a flag once again," Mr Green said.

The most recent event to feature the flagpole was on 24 August when the city celebrated the Olympic handover day with a relay race through the city.