A range of ‘new-look’ emblems for the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been given the thumbs down by anti-agreement Unionists today.
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"They are something straight out of the children's TV show Trumpton Fire Station," Mr Ian Paisley Jnr said.
The harp and crown - symbols of the RUC- are to be replaced and the range of design ideas include the flax flower, a turreted bridge and a laurel wreath.
The Northern Ireland Office has given all sides until December 14th to come up with other suggestions before proposals are considered by the policing board on the style of emblem officers wear and the new of flag to be flown at stations.
If there is no agreement, the British government will make the decision in advance of the first of the new recruits starting duty next Spring.
But Mr Paisley, one of three Democratic Unionists who sit on the board immediately said the designs were "vague and obscure and demeaning", and there was no continuity with the past.
He said they had been produced without discussion with the board. It was totally unsatisfactory.
Mr Paisley said: "What they are proposing is . . . replacing it with bland Laura Ashley style designs or something straight out of the (children's TV show) Trumpton Fire Brigade."
Ulster Unionists also rejected the designs, but the nationalist SDLP said they believed an insignia acceptable to all could be achieved.
Mr Fred Cobain, a north Belfast Ulster Unionist at the Northern Assembly claimed the designs were too bland.
While Mr John Taylor, now Lord Kilclooney, the former Ulster Unionist MP for Strangford who also sits on the policing board, claimed Dr Reid had treated them with contempt by publishing the designs without consultation.
Mr Eddie McGrady, the south Down SDLP MP, who also sits on the board said he looked forward to the matter being swiftly resolved.
PA