VISITORS to a motor home event at the Three Counties Showground have been criticised for flying the Confederate flag because of its racist connotations.

Malvern Wells resident Paul Bennett said he was horrified to see up to 50 of the flags, used by the Confederate forces in the American Civil War, flying at the Western Motorhome show at the weekend.

He said: "The flag is a symbol of white supremacy and it is totally wrong to be flying it in this day and age."

His view is backed up by county and district councillor John Raines, who said: "I was both astonished and disgusted that such a provocative action should be taking place in the 21st century and at Malvern showground too.

"I feel sure this sort of provocative act will be considered deeply offensive to every decent citizen here.

"Action should be taken by the showground and event organisers to ensure that there should be no repeat next year, or at future such events."

A spokesman for Warners Homes, which organised the event, said it included a Civil War re-enactment, whose participants often fly the flags of both sides in the conflict.

The company also sent the following statement: "The context the flag is used in the re-enactment is to represent the fighting men (whom most were British and Irish descent) who sacrificed their lives in that horrific war.

"We provide an insight into life on a military camp of a Confederate soldier and provide re-enactments of military events, with both Union, Confederate and post-Civil War when the then-Union were at war with the native Americans.

"Every aspect is dealt with in a professional, factual, and educational manner.

"We have 3,000 units camped on site for the weekend and a handful choose to fly the flag (as many other flags also are flown on site as a means of finding your motorhome in a sea of 3,000 vans) as part of the show and as a rebellion against authority or indeed in support of the reenactment on site which is purely as a military symbol for the war."

The company's website says the event included "western re-enactments and living history area, plus three halls of country music entertainment".

A spokesman for the showground said that the matter was one for the show organisers to deal with.