A CAWTHORNE museum chairman who ordered Nazi memorabilia be covered later blamed the decision on public complaints, according to a village resident.

A Battle of Britain exhibition being hosted at the Jubilee Museum has plunged the village into controversy after a flag with a Nazi swastika on it, liberated from Berlin during the victory parade, was used in the display.

It is understood that less than 24 hours before the exhibition opened on September 11, a decision was made by the chairman Peter Kilner to cover the swastika with a Union Flag.

The decision was reported in national newspapers and Mr Kilner claimed the committee had acted because of visitors’ complaints.

But villager Alan Broadhead says that is not the case and the swastika should never have been covered because it was a legitimate piece of the village’s history.

He said: “The chairman, Peter Kilner, said it was done because of pressure from the public but that is impossible because no-one had seen it until it opened.

“There is no problem with that flag, it was brought back by a village soldier who was there and fought for his country to defeat fascism. You cannot censor history like this.”

Peter Kilner said 'one or two people' had seen the flag on display in the museum when the exhibition was being set up and had complained.

"We were obviously upsetting people and we are not in the business of doing that," added Mr Kilner.

Full story in the Darton and town editions, Friday, October 8.