The White Rose is proudly flying outside Redcar and Cleveland Leisure and Community Heart as the borough prepares to welcome the Tour de Yorkshire.

The Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland, Cllr Billy Wells, this week raised the Yorkshire flag.

Welcome signs at Redcar and Cleveland’s boundaries already celebrate the area’s Yorkshire heritage and the flag will be a permanent fixture outside the council’s civic headquarters.

Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Cllr Mary Lanigan, said: “Flying the White Rose feels like the natural thing for us to do.

“We’re proud of our Yorkshire links and are counting down the days until we welcome the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race to the borough in April.

“North Yorkshire is renowned for its welcoming hospitality, gorgeous coastline and stunning scenery – and visitors can certainly enjoy all that and more around Redcar and Cleveland.”

Cllr Steve Kay, cabinet member for health, housing and welfare, said: “Our identity was disrupted by the creation of Cleveland County Council in 1974.

“We want to strengthen our identity with our mother county and I hope there can be no doubt in the future that Redcar and Cleveland is definitely part of Yorkshire.”

Stage one of this year’s Tour de Yorkshire finishes in Redcar on Thursday, April 30.

The race enters the borough’s boundary at Cowbar and the teams will be cheered on by crowds through Easington, Loftus, Carlin How, Brotton, Saltburn and Marske before a sprint finish along the Stray.

The Yorkshire flag replaces that of the European Union following the UK’s exit from the EU and flies alongside the Union Jack and the borough’s coat of arms.