Liverpool´s wings clipped in Liver Bird badge row

Liverpool could face a legal battle with the city's council as a row over the club's famous Liver Bird badge continues to ruffle feathers at Anfield.

The Premier League team's shirt features the mythical Liver Bird on its badge and Liverpool officials have applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office to register the image in an attempt to stop street traders selling counterfeit merchandise bearing the emblem.

But Liverpool City Council said the club had “no right” to claim the bird as its own and deputy council leader Flo Clucas revealed that they are taking legal advice over the application.

“I have some very real concerns over it,” she told the BBC. “It belongs to the city and nobody has a right to claim it exclusively as their own.

“They do already have their crest trademarked, but they have no right of ownership to claim the bird, or any version of the bird, as their own.

“Not only does the Liver Bird appear on the Royal Charter for the council, but it is also used by local businesses and schools.

“It belongs to the city and nobody has a right to claim it exclusively as the own. It's a symbol for the city.”

Two statues of the birds stand atop one of the city's most famous buildings, the Liver Building, while several local businesses use it as their logo.

Liverpool insist they have no intention of challenging the Liver Bird's use on anything but unofficial merchandise.

“Liverpool Football Club is seeking to trademark only its own specific version of the Liver Bird, to combat its use in counterfeit merchandise,” the statement said.

“This does not extend to other versions of the Liver Bird, such as the city council's or those used by other commercial or charity organisations.

“We have absolutely no intention of challenging that usage of the Liver Bird.

“We are simply trying to stop people lifting our rendition of the Liver Bird out of the official club crest and applying it to fake Liverpool FC merchandise.”