It was back home where it belongs. The flag that unfurled before a TV audience of millions during the World Cup in Japan and Korea was finally flown with pride in its native Weardale.

After following the fortunes - and misfortunes - of England in the Far East 30-year-old Kevin McGuire finally ended his soccer journey of a lifetime by showing the flag to football fans and friends in the County Durham dale at the weekend.

Kevin, now working in a shipyard at Eindhoven, in Holland, made the headlines when his Weardale flag was spotted on TV during England's historic 1-0 victory over Argentina in Sapporo. He went on to fly it during England's games against Denmark and Brazil.

The appearance of the 15ft-wide Weardale flag on worldwide TV stunned Kevin's parents, Bill and Wendy McGuire, and friends back home at St John's Chapel.

But they were in for another shock when Kevin - after spending two months in Japan and Korea - decided to call unexpectedly on them at the weekend.

And before heading back to Holland, he was persuaded to unfurl the Weardale World Cup flag for fans and friends at the weekly training session of a football academy in Weardale.

"I never believed the flag would stir up so much interest back home. I didn't even know if anybody had seen it, until my parents said it had made the headlines in The Northern Echo," said Kevin.

Kevin's flag was proudly displayed along the likes of those from Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester during the World Cup.

Other flags from the region spotted in ensuing matches included those from Darlington, Ferryhill, Middlesbrough and Scarborough. "I have a lot of pals back home and I have enjoyed playing football with them. I suppose I just wanted to fly the flag for Weardale," who revealed that his World Cup adventure had cost £5,000.

The Weardale flag will now be tucked away in the house in Eindhoven which Kevin shares with two other English soccer fans - Danny Rogers and Alec Simpson - until England hopefully qualify for the European Cup in Portugal in 2004.

If they do, Kevin - and his flag - will be there.

Until then he can also recount how the name of Weardale also found its way onto Japan's famous Mount Fuji.

For he, along with pals Danny and Alec climbed to the summit in the early hours of the morning to watch the sun rise ... and of course couldn't resist unfurling the flag.

"It has to be the best moment of my life," said Kevin.