Festive pranksters have struck once again in a village after turning Lord John Scott’s statue into Bluey the children’s TV dog.
The 157-year-old statue in Dunchurch, Warwickshire, 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.
The former Scottish MP’s statue has previously been dressed as various things including Pikachu, Olaf from Frozen, 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 said: ‘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.
Festive pranksters have struck once again by turning Lord John Scott’s statue into Bluey the children’s TV dog
The 157-year-old statue in Dunchurch, Warwickshire, has become a regular target for jokers since the 1970s
The statue commemorates the Lord, who was a Grenadier Guards officer, a Scottish MP and a landlord, who died aged 51 in 1860
Local residents have said they are ‘happy’ with this year’s effort
‘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 1970’s – though Ms Cummins 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.’
Last Christmas it was turned into Queen Poppy – the pink-haired troll from the movie Trolls Band Together
In previous years, the statue has been dressed as Peppa Pig (pictured) and The Grinch
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.
This comes as a festive artist transformed an old telephone box into a huge penguin to bring some Christmas cheer to locals.
The small village of Prickwillow, Cambridgeshire, bought the phone box 14 years ago to become one the smallest art galleries in the country.
It has already become a Picasso-style Santa in 2022, massive red-nosed reindeer in 2021, and a Father Christmas in a facemask for 2020.
Here is a look at the former Scottish MP’s statue, who was dressed like Homer Simpson in 2023
Now, this year the phone box has been decorated as a penguin – approximately eight foot tall.
Cary Outis, the artist behind the design said: ‘I could get all philosophical on you and say the world is upside down, so penguins shouldn’t be involved in the northern hemisphere at all.
‘But we should pay more attention to penguins, frankly, because they’re wonderful.
‘They’re having a tough time because of global warming – and also it’s just sheer pleasure and challenge of making one.’
The penguin went on the phone box on 3 December. It will stay up over Christmas and get taken down on New Year’s Day.
