Council's World Cup bunting torn apart by wind

The World Cup flags were no match for the rough weather. Photo / Richard Robinson

The Auckland Council faces a bill of thousands of dollars to replace soggy and ripped Rugby World Cup bunting, which fell apart in the wind and rain.

Other councils used a bunting supplier chosen by cup organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011 but the Auckland Council chose its own, Lineset Design & Print, which used a PVC-coated, cardboard-like material.

The council-controlled organisation Auckland 2011 sold and supplied bunting to business associations for its adopt-a-second-team programme.

Heather Bell of the Browns Bay Business Association, which adopted South Africa, said some of the soggy remains of their bunting were strewn throughout local parks and streets.

"They look dreadful. They're just all coming apart."

Auckland 2011 spokesman Simon Roche said he was aware of the problem and had made replacing the bunting a priority.

"We are currently working with a supplier to make this happen as soon as possible."

Mrs Bell said she expected the bunting to be replaced for free given that the Browns Bay Business Association spent $3000 buying it and putting it up.

Lineset chief executive John Jepson said he was disappointed and sorry the bunting had not stood up to the weather the way his company had been assured it would.

He said the bunting was the sole item in the company's range that it sourced from China.