A CONTROVERSIAL circus is being criticised again – this time for flyposting all over Colchester.

Last month the Great British Circus was at the centre of a storm of criticism after hidden camera footage showed a performing elephant being hit by a groom.

Now the circus, which opens in Colchester tomorrow, is in trouble for plastering posters on phone boxes, telegraph poles and road signs.

Stanway borough councillor Lesley Scott-Boutell says the posters break the planning rules on advertising.

She said: “Planning law allows circuses and travelling shows to put up posters, but they are supposed to work with the council and only use agreed sites. The Thunderworld funfair has worked with us and its posters have gone up, only for this circus to go and put theirs up next to them.

“It is piggybacking on other people who are doing it properly, and making an eyesore our cleaning teams are having to go around and take down.”

Tim Young, Colchester councillor responsible for street services, confirmed the circus had not been in touch about its posters. He said: “We will always take down posters in inappropriate locations on the highway and have had to take down some of the Great British Circus posters.”

Circus spokesman Chris Barltrop said the circus would remove any offending posters which were are brought to its attention.

The circus will be in a field off London Road, Stanway from tomorrow until September 20.