PALESTINIAN flags were attached to the Frontier Park development security fencing facing the Whitebirk roundabout overnight.

They were discovered by construction staff when they arrived for work at 6.30am and had been removed from the site for health as safety reasons by 9am.

The flags were captured on camera by a driver's dashcam.

It was one of several places in or near Blackburn to fly the Palestinian standard, including the Madina Mosque on Oak Street, on the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the state of Israel and the displacement of thousands of Muslim residents of the territory.

Close to the M65 junction 6, Frontier Park is currently being developed as a £100million business park by Euro-Garages owned by brothers Moshin and Zuber Issa.

The Whitebirk roundabout and surrounding roads are subject to intermittent roadworks connected with the complex.

The flag-flying also follows international protests over the death of 58 Palestinians and injuring of hundreds of others yesterday when Israeli soldiers opened fire on Palestinian protestors on the border with Gaza.

Tensions in the region had been worsened by the choice of US President Donald Trump to open the new American Embassy in Jerusalem, claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians as their capital, on the eve of the controversial anniversary.

Alex Kenwright of Kenwright Consultants Ltd, who is development manager for the Frontier Park project, said: “The Palestinian flags were discovered on the fencing when construction staff arrived for work between 6.30 and 7am this morning.

“The flags on the fencing were in breach of various construction industry and health and safety protocols

“They had been removed by security staff by 9am.

“There are alway concerns with such items on a major traffic route.

“The site CCTV gave no indication of exactly when or by whom the flags were placed there.”

Mr Kenwright said Euro-Garages had no comment to make.

Cllr Miles Parkinson, leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, said: “People have strong feelings about this issue but there is always an issue of distracting drivers with flags fluttering on a major roundabout.

“Individuals have a right to protest and fly banners but there are road safety issues to consider in this case.”

In July 2014 protestors gathered outside Blackburn’s Hill Street Tesco superstore to highlight the issues of Palestine and put a large banner on the side of the derelict Duke of Edinburgh pub in nearby Crabtree Street.

The following months eight landmark buildings in the town had ‘Free Palestine’ painted on them.

They included Blackburn’s Magistrates Court, Town Hall and Museum and Art Gallery.