Drivers warned of £1,000 fine for flying England flags ahead of the Euros despite being a 'source of pride'

However, experts are warning that motorists could face hefty fines if they fly an English, Scottish or alternative flag from their car when celebrating the return of tournament football this summer.

While small clip flags that adorn some windows are highly unlikely to cause a distraction, people displaying flags from the roof of their cars could come loose and obscure the vision of many road users.

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There is no specific offence banning drivers from attaching flags to their cars and most on sale are perfectly legal if they are fitted to the vehicle in a safe and secure manner.

However, experts at Select Car Leasing said large flags could obscure the driver's vision of the road ahead, potentially contravening Regulation 30 of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

Similarly, Regulation 53 of the same guidance could be broken if "mascots, emblems or other ornamental objects" attached to cars impact the vision of road users.

This can be seen if the flag causes danger to pedestrians or other road users. It states that objects must not be positioned "where it is likely to strike any person with whom the vehicle may collide unless the mascot is not liable to cause injury".

Graham Conway, from Select Car Leasing, said: "Showing your support with a flag, scarf or mascot won’t be a problem for most.

"But it’s important to make sure the driver’s vision is never impaired by anything you attach to your vehicle.

“Not only could it risk causing an accident, but it could also hit you in the pocket.

“If you’re planning on flying a flag or attaching a mascot to your motor, make sure it can’t pose a risk to you or anyone else.”

He stated that people found to be breaking the rules could be slapped with a £1,000 fine when driving a car or small van.

Motorists have been urged to avoid taking any risks when showing support for their nations ahead of the European Championships, as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place in France across August.

A Government spokesperson said: “There is no specific law against flying a flag from your vehicle.

"We would simply encourage motorists to use their common sense to ensure their vision of the road isn’t impaired, and that it doesn’t jeopardise the safety of other road users.

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“We shouldn’t hide our national flags which are a source of pride and identity.

"We anticipate that streets, cars and houses will be decorated with England flags during the Euros football tournament this summer.”