PATRIOTIC Billy Kelly's 'criminal career' came to an end after he cleaned away a cross of St George he painted on the road outside his house -- but not before a further brush with the law.

Blackburn magistrates heard that the ex-guardsman was cleaning the 15ft by 9ft flag from outside his home in Windsor Road, Knuzden, on Sunday night, as ordered by the court, when he heard the sound of police sirens. Michael Blacklidge, defending, said his client at first thought there must have been an accident on the main road but was then astonished when the police asked him what he was doing.

Mr Kelly, 45, was originally charged with causing criminal damage to the road surface after painting the red and white cross after a few drinks over the Jubilee holiday weekend.

Magistrates agreed that if the flag was removed, as Mr Kelly had offered to do when first approached by the police, the charge would be withdrawn.

And after hearing that he had spent £40 on two gallons of paint remover and completed the task The magistrates withdrew what would have been his first-ever criminal conviction.