BUILDINGS in Burnham-on-Sea will be flying the flag as the town hosts its first ever flag festival.

The new decorations will be on display throughout August as the flag festival runs through until September 5.

The flags were printed by Flying Colours, flag makers to Her Majesty The Queen.

Project coordinator, Bev Milner Simonds said: "We will be flying 31 new flags for the month, turning the streets into an open-air art gallery.

"The artistic team have worked with four local schools Churchfields, St Josephs, Burnham Infants and St Andrews to develop images that describe what Burnham-on-Sea means to them.

"We have taken these and created 27 flags with images of Burnham-on-Sea life and four that showcase the drawings from the children.

"The aim of the project is to showcase the town, to help make Burnham-on-Sea a colourful and vibrant town to visit during August 2016. The process of making the flags encouraged art making, learning new skills, sharing, enjoyment, and social exchange.

"This first year has been successful, and if it is repeated I would like to see it involving a wider cross section of the community at workshops to develop more flags."

The flag festival was launched on Friday in an event attended by many, including deputy mayor Cllr Paul Young.

He said: "I am fully supportive of this new festival - it's great to see something like this taking place in Burnham-on-Sea."

Juliet Farnese, artistic lead for the project, added: "It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with the excellent schools and the very wonderful, imaginative children of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge.

"We are lucky to have such amazing young children in our town, and I feel very proud of them. It's been a lovely job to do and only possible with the expert help of my colleagues, Helen McGinty, Mike Price and Ignite Somerset."

The team have developed a free flag finder trail that is available from BiARS, the Post Office, Hurleys Newsagent, the Toycupboard, the Library, banks and many cafes and hairdressers.

After the Flag Festival the Somerset flags will be returning.