War veterans have reacted angrily after a charity shop started selling Union flags as doormats.

They said it was disrespectful to the nation's soldiers, sailors and airmen, past and present, and wanted them withdrawn from sale.

An ex-Mayor and Army officer said only the United Kingdom's enemies would want to wipe their feet on the country's flag.

But homeless charity Shelter, which has a shop selling the mats for £3.29 in Montague Street, Worthing, mounted a robust defence, saying they were popular with the public.

It said 888 of the mats had been sold nationwide, with 65 purchased in Worthing.

They were also available from other outlets, including internet traders.

The Argus was alerted by an 83-year-old Second World War Normandy veteran from Worthing who was angry that people were being encouraged to wipe their feet on the country's historic emblem, which thousands of people had fought and died for.

The man, who declined to be named, but said he served in the Royal Tank Regiment, said: "I spoke to the Normandy Veterans' Association and while they were not enraged they agreed it is not right.

"There is very little respect nowadays."

Former Worthing Mayor Tom Wye, who served in the Royal Engineers, rising to the rank of Major, said: "I have seen them.

"My personal view is that they are in bad taste and I cannot think of anyone, other than an enemy of the United Kingdom, who would want to wipe their feet on the Union flag."

Mr Wye, a borough councillor and life vice-president of Worthing Combined Ex-Services Association, added: "Flags and standards have a valued meaning to all ex-servicemen and women."

Ron Reeves, secretary and vice-chairman of Worthing Royal British Legion, who served in the RAF during the 1950s, said: "Like any ex-serviceman I would be rather put out over misuse of the Union flag like that.

"I am totally against it. It's the same as people wearing Union flag trunks or bathing costumes. I just don't like it."

Mr Reeves, 73, of Keymer Crescent, Worthing, added: "People who served during hostilities will be up in arms over it. I don't think they should be on sale."

Worthing West MP Peter Bottomley said: "I agree with Tom Wye. I would put it on the wall as a display. I would not scrub my shoes on our national flag."

Shelter spokesman Brendan Murphy said: "Shelter is sorry if the Union flag doormats we sell offend anyone, but we are also very disappointed for the criticism we are facing.

"For the past 40 years since Shelter was launched we have helped millions of people with their housing problems, including some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Britain.

"In those 40 years we have become a highly respected and influential British institution, and for people to claim we are unpatriotic or anti-British is surprising, and disappointing.

"As a charity we are non-political, and as an organisation we help anyone with housing problems, no matter their race, colour or creed.

"We sell the Union flag mats for £3.29 as a novelty item, because they are very popular and because they are one of our best sellers.

"In the last six months we have sold a total of 888 of the mats totalling £2,921, including 69 in our Brighton shop and 65 in our Worthing shop, and due to demand we have had to restock three times.

"Every mat we sell means more money going towards helping individual people and families find and keep a home, something everyone in our society deserves.

"If I walked by someone's house today and saw a Union flag doormat I would think pro-British or a proud to be British family lived there. I would not for one second think they had bought it to trample on it or disrespect Britain."

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