It could only happen in Britain.

The Lion Rampant

The Lion Rampant (Scotland's Royal Flag) may be waved freely (as at football matches, or indeed on websites) but may not, under any circumstances, be waved from a fixed flagpole without the express permission of the Lord Lyon, the officer responsible for Scottish heraldry.

Some years ago, the town councillors of Cumbernauld, a truly ugly wee monstrosity of a "new town" in Central Scotland, guilty of flying the flag proudly above their esteemed offices, were threatened with a Parliamentary Act of 1679 that forced them into bringing it down quicker than any of them ever thought they could move.

And no bloody wonder.

The statutory prescribed penalty for misuse of the Royal Arms, they were told, is death.

I kid you not.

Personally, FirstFoot wouldn't have given the buggers a warning.