THE MEN and women of Oxford have been hoisting flags up the flagpole of Carfax Tower for more than 100 years.

But ‘health and safety’ has put a stop to that this year as both the Queen’s Birthday and St George’s Day were marked elsewhere.

Oxford City Council said access to the flagpole was ‘unsafe’ and it was investigating options to rectify the issue.

It was not able to say how it was unsafe.

But no flags have flown above the historic tower since last July and it is understood its listed building status is making changes difficult.

Residents complained to the council earlier this week but the Cross of St George was raised above the Town Hall’s 1930s extension – above the Edinburgh Woollen Mill shop.

Oxford City Council spokesman, Tom Jennings, said: “The St George’s flag was flown on St George’s Day and the Union Flag was flown on the Queen’s birthday.

“Both flags were flown from the 1930s extension of Town Hall.”

He added: “No flags can be flown from the Carfax Tower at present because access to the flagpole is currently unsafe. This has no impact on the safety of the public viewing platform.

“We are currently investigating options for making access to Carfax Tower flagpole safe so that we can return to flying flags from the tower in the future.”

The council will consider flying any flag on request.

The flag of West Papua has been flown above the Town Hall every year since 2007 on request of exiled West Papuan and Oxford resident Benny Wenda.

In November, the Transgender Pride flag was flown to mark Transgender Day of Remembrance, honouring those who had been killed or who had taken their own life because they chose to live as their preferred gender.

Last year Abingdon Town Council voted not to fly the Pride flag this June.