MORE than 170 banners of all designs are going up around Settle as this year's flag festival gets underway.

Businesses and individuals are flying a flag - some more than one - for the month-long festival which also coincides with the Queen's golden jubilee celebrations and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment's Havercake March, which starts from Settle Market Place tomorrow (Saturday).

A team of flagmakers has been busy designing and stitching standards to be displayed on brackets on buildings as well as on the pavilion in the Market Place for the community festival over the jubilee weekend and bank holidays.

Businesses from shops to accountants, guest houses and a plumber have flags flying, and there are banners depicting activities at Settle Church, Greenfoot elderly people's home, the police and schools among others.

Private individuals are flying flags representing their interests and the Craven Herald has a flag waving on the Shambles.

The Herald's flag is in our green and white colours, and the design is based around the idea of a heraldic trumpet.

Other flags have similar symbolism and designs range from the simplistic to the complicated.

The flag festival idea came about in 1999 as a way of celebrating the millennium. The first flag festival, in May 2000, was a great success with more than 70 businesses taking part.

Last year the workshops grew and designs became more elaborate. Then, with just weeks to go, foot and mouth struck.

Gill O'Donnell, of the flag festival group, said: "No-one felt much like celebrating but we decided to go ahead and fly our flags anyway - a gesture of defiance to show that as a town we weren't beaten yet.

"It proved to be a popular decision with many commenting that the flags helped to lift the mood during an otherwise grim summer."

This year the festival is seen as a real opportunity to celebrate the diversity of the community.

Flag making workshops have been running since February and the team of stitchers has also risen to the challenge of designing and making banners for the golden jubilee pavilion.

"We would like to thank all those who have sponsored flags and supported the festival and most especially the talented and creative stitchers responsible for this year's fantastic display," said Gill.

The flags on the pavilion represent various aspects of Settle life.

There are tributes to Banyuls-sur-Mer, the twin town in France, Elgar the composer who visited Settle, architectural heritage in The Folly and Giggleswick School chapel, tourism, castleberg, natural environment and local families.

Flags will also fly on stalls at Settle's weekly Tuesday market during the festival and some banners are going up in surrounding villages including Wigglesworth, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Hellifield and Rathmell.

A guide to the flags is available from the Tourist Information Centre.

The flags form the backdrop for what should be a memorable golden jubilee community festival in Settle.

On Saturday and Sunday June 1 and 2 numerous entertainers will be performing in the market Place, including the Knights of Longshank medieval re-enactors, bringing a middle ages feel to proceedings.

There is also human bar football as well as charity stalls and a bouncy castle. There will be a procession to light the beacon on High Fell on the Monday night.