A Dover town councillor, who underwent heart surgery last week, has hit back at criticism that he was late getting the Union Flag to Dover’s VJ Day ceremony on Saturday and that he was wearing his dressing gown when he was spotted after the service.

Cllr Graham Wanstall, who is responsible for flying the flag, said that he did not know the ceremony was taking place.

Cllr Wanstall claimed that the first he knew of the ceremony was when the flag was collected from him that morning.

He said he was unable to carry out his duties because his arm was in a sling, and he went to explain this to the mayor, Cllr Chris Precious.

He said: “I did not attend any ceremony at all and wasn’t aware of it.

“I had a three-hour heart operation, which I’m still recovering from.

“On Saturday, the flag should have been flown for the birthday of Princess Royal Anne, but with my left arm out of action I cannot physically raise the flag.

“I was concerned I might be blamed for something that wasn’t my fault, but the only thing I could put on without being in total agony was my dressing gown." - Cllr Wanstall.

“Totally unbeknownst to me and the majority of the town councillors, it was a VJ Day event.”

After a picture of Cllr Wanstall was snapped and critical comments shared on Facebook, he explained that his dressing gown was the only thing he could wear because he was in a lot of pain.

He went to the council offices to speak to the mayor to explain the situation.

He said only a “clique” of councillors had been invited but all town representatives should have been informed.

The Castle Ward councillor, who lives in Park Street, said: “I was concerned I might be blamed for something that wasn’t my fault, but the only thing I could put on without being in total agony was my dressing gown.

“I live two minutes from the council offices, and I went to see the mayor to clarify the position.

“With reflection, that is impetuous. I should have spoken on the phone.

“I understand and accept it was strange to see a town councillor in a dressing gown.”

Cllr Wanstall added: “My concern is only a tiny number of councillors were invited.”

The organiser of the ceremony, Augusta Pearson, said it was “embarrassing” and “disrespectful” to not have a flag-flying for the ceremony.

She also said that the event had been publicised in advance.

She said: “People are determined to make a shambles of any event that I put on, but it’s not for me; it’s for the veterans.

“One of the relatives said she would never come back to Dover again.”

She claims the flag duties should have been delegated to someone else while Cllr Wanstall was ill.

Cllr Pam Brivio, former town mayor, added: “There was a little bit of a hiccup but it was resolved.

“A lot of people were still at the service when the flag was flown.”