You couldn't make it up, shiver me timbers.

A young lad with a passion for playing pirates has a skull and crossbones flag flying in his back garden.  Or make that "had" because the local council have insisted his parents remove it or face a fine.  It seems that under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisement) Regulations (England) 2007 you are not allowed to fly any flag other than a national, supranational or county one without planning permission.  The mind once again boggles.