THE Mayor of Penzance has announced she is standing for election to Cornwall Council despite being targeted by racist trolls over the removal of Union Jack flags.

Announcing her decision on her Facebook page, Nicole Broadhurst said despite the events of the last two months she had decided to take the plunge and stand for election in May.

"Ok - so I have taken the plunge and have decided that I will stand for election to Cornwall Council in May," she said. "Even though I was selected a while ago events of the last two months did give me pause. BUT - after much soul searching, some tears, a few glasses of wine and the almost constant 'input' from friends and hubby I will be standing.

"The huge amount of support and love from you all during the scary time also helped me make my decision so THANK YOU!!!

She has started a Facebook page - Nicole Broadhurst for Penzance Promenade - to promote her campaign.

The decision comes after the Penzance mayor was targeted after saying that Union Jack flags raised on the promenade to coincide with the UK leaving the EU would be removed.

Read next: Racist abuse against mayor after removal of unauthorised Union Jack flags

She said at the time that the flags could not hoisted on flagpoles without permission of Cornwall Council.

They were put up following the UK’s signing of a trade deal with the EU on December 30 last year.

Following her statement on Twitter and Facebook the mayor was met with a torrent of abuse, some of it racially motivated. Things got so bad with people turning up at her house that the police had ito nstall a panic alarm.

She told the Guardian newspaper at the time that she felt frightened as people had come up to the house shouting and flashing lights and it had badly shaken her and her husband up.

She has lived in Penzance for the last 15 years, and for the last three and a bit years she had been a councillor on Penzance Council and for the last two years as Mayor.

The elections are due to be held in May. The other candidates for Penzance are Cornelius Oliver, Joan Beveridge and Jon Lansman.