Licensee threatened after Welsh flag is used as a target during celebrations

A landlady who received race hate mail over her St George's Day celebrations says she will continue to mark the saint's day next year.

Angie Sayer, of the New Inn in Wedmore, Somerset, received more than 10 frightening letters and answerphone messages, including threats to burn down her pub, from angry Welsh people. The outcry came about because the Welsh flag was the only thing she could find with a dragon on it to celebrate the English saint's day.

Locals in fancy dress fired homemade bows and arrows at the dragon on the flag in the pub's skittle alley on April 23.

The move brought outrage from some Welsh people who have anonymously accused the licensee of racism. One letter said: "Watch out you racist English ****.

"I hope you have got insurance on your pub because the windows are going to be put through."

She was forced to call in the police after receiving the hate mail.

The licensee, who has been at the pub for three years, says she had no intention of offending any Welsh people and has the flag flying outside the pub along with the Union Jack and the St George's flag.

She said: "It's not very nice. Most of my locals couldn't believe it when the police came in.

"It's a country pub; we play lots of games and St George's Day was something we wanted to celebrate. I have had horrible messages on my answerphone, but we have had some good messages as well.

"The whole incident has been blown out of proportion. We needed a dragon to shoot at and happened to use the flag.

"Everybody celebrates St Patrick's Day. St George's Day gets passed by and when you do it, it falls on stony ground."

However, she says she is not despondent and is already planning a pea shooting competition for next year's event.

Police say the threats were being taken seriously and were being followed up.