The 20-year-old believes he has “cracked the code” for getting the potholes sorted.
Patriotic potholes cropping up in town as proud resident paints them with St George’s Crosses. (Image: Jam Press)
A pothole vigilante has used the St Georges Cross in a bid to get the council’s attention to fix them. Ben Thornbury, 20, has begun painting the England flag over potholes in his local area in his latest bid to get the authorities to do something about the issue.
Mr Thornbury has now followed suit of towns cross the country which have been flying the St Georges Cross in petition to the removal of the flags in Birmingham. The 20-year-old has previously used unconventional and eye-catching methods to draw attention to potholes in his home town in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. Last year, he pretended to be fishing from one particularly large pothole using equipment and a fake fish. He has also worn the mask of a previous local MP while sitting in a camping chair. Mr Thornbury has also creatively turned numerous potholes in his town into a pitch-and-putt course, where members of the public joined him to make light of the issue.
Ben Thornbury hopes to get the councils attention to fix the potholes. (Image: Jam Press)
Ben Thornbury hopes to get the councils attention to fix the potholes. (Image: Jam Press)
He now believes he has “cracked the code for getting potholes sorted” by painting white and red England flags over them.
The 20-year-old said he began doing this after he “noticed all the England flags going up in Birmingham”.
Birmingham City Council recently came under fire after removing England and Union Jack flags from poles for fear that the people hanging them up “could be putting their lives and those of motorists and pedestrians at risk”.
However, tensions rose after the same council allowed Palestinian flags to fly from poles across the city for a prolonged period of time.
Mr Thornbury said: “I’d noticed the ones along Neibull Close and thought I would highlight them.
“I got some white and red paint from my garage and painted about five of them.”
He added: “I couldn’t believe the reaction. Loads of people contacted me to say well done and what a great idea it was.
“So I just hope they are repaired. I’m proud of my country and like to help people whenever I can.
“Residents had been complaining about the state of the town centre for eight months.
“But that was resurfaced just weeks after I highlighted it.”
The pothole vigilante is still waiting to see if the issue if fixed by the council following hsi painting.
