Gloucestershire County Council was spotted flying the wrong Union Flag from its headquarters in Westgate Street this week. The flag was missing a crucial segment, the red diagonal cross that represents Northern Ireland. The council have apologised for the mistake and said they accidentally ordered the “wrong one”.

One local described the mistake as a “faux pas”.

They told Gloucestershire Live: “They have just replaced the very faded tatty and torn Union Flag that has been flying over Shire Hall for the past few months.

“Did they buy it from Ebay?”

The council have apologised for flying the wrong flag and have taken it down while they wait for a replacement.

A Gloucestershire County Council spokesman said: “We needed to replace our Union Jack and unfortunately the wrong one was ordered.

“In the meantime we have taken the flag down and wish to apologise for any offence that may have been caused.

“The correct flag will be arriving next week.”

It appears that the council was flying a Union Flag that dated pre-1801, before Ireland joined the UK.

The Union Flag, referred to as the Union Jack when flying on a ship’s mast, is the UK’s national flag.

It combines the flags of England, Scotland and Ireland.

England is represented by the cross of St George, the patron saint of England, a red cross on a white background.

The blue background and white diagonal cross depicts Scotland and its patron saint, St Andrew.

The final section, missing from the flag flown by Gloucestershire council, is a diagonal red cross that overlays the white part of the Scottish cross.

The Irish section was added to the Union Flag in 1801, following Ireland’s unification to the UK.

The Welsh dragon is not represented on the flag, as when the Union Flag was first created in 1606, Wales was already united with England – so was not a separate principality.

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