By Jake Meeus-Jones via SWNS
Cheeky festive pranksters have struck once again in a village after turning a statue of its most famous son – into BLUEY.
The statue of Lord John Scott in Dunchurch, Warks., dates back to 1867 and has become a regular target for jokers since the 1970s.
Despite the long-standing tradition, mystery still surrounds the identity of the pranksters who dress the statue in the dead of the night.
This year the 157-year-old statue has been transformed into the popular children’s TV cartoon dog Bluey.
The former Scottish MP’s statue has previously been dressed as various things including Pikachu, Olaf from Frozen, Homer Simpson, Pinocchio, Bob the Builder, Peppa Pig and The Grinch.
Last Christmas it was turned into Queen Poppy – the pink-haired troll from the movie Trolls Band Together.
Local resident, Amber Cummins, 30, who has lived in the village all her life, said she was particularly happy with this year’s effort.
She added: “I am 30-years-old with a two-year-old who loves Bluey – so we are very happy with the statue this year.
“It’s a tradition that goes back many years and the statue is dressed up as a popular character or something from a movie.
“We look forward to the anticipation of what the statue will be as Christmas gets closer.
“I do not know who does the statue – it is the best-kept secret in Dunchurch.”
The tradition is believed to date as far back as the 1970s – though Amber says some claim it started even earlier.
She said: “There is talk that the statue may have been dressed to welcome the soldiers back from the war.
“Rumours as to who does it are abound – talk is that it was started by student nurses from the local hospital of St Cross or apprentices from the old GEC college that was nearby and some think it is done by the Dunchurch Elves.”
Other residents reacted on social media with one local writing: “Been waiting to see who would be up there…we love it.”
Another added: “We drove past it last night and it wasn’t dressed. So glad the elves made it again this year.”
A third added: “Surely whoever it is that does this each year is getting very old they been doing it all my life.”
The statue commemorates the Lord, who was a Grenadier Guards officer, a Scottish MP and a landlord, who died aged 51 in 1860.
His family, the Buccleuchs, are still one of the largest private landowners in Europe with extensive holdings in Scotland.
