Photo credit: www.cbc.ca
In a lighthearted yet impactful protest, a family in a Cambridgeshire village has highlighted a persistent pothole issue by creating a whimsical installation. James Coxall, frustrated by a particularly large pothole on Haverhill Road in Castle Camps, decided to take matters into his own hands after enduring significant damage to his vehicle and others in the community.
This pothole, which Coxall has encountered regularly for eight months, measures approximately 1.2 meters in length, 0.9 meters in width, and about 10 centimeters deep. It serves as a key route for locals traveling to nearby Haverhill for daily errands.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to navigate roads riddled with holes that are damaging to vehicles,” Coxall expressed during an interview. Instead of simply complaining, he thought of a humorous way to raise awareness about the ongoing issue. With the assistance of his wife and children, Coxall crafted a pair of wooden legs dressed in denim, which they placed in the water-filled pothole to simulate a person having fallen in.
Community Reaction
The prank quickly gained local attention. Neighbors began reaching out to inquire if the playful legs were indeed Coxall’s creation. “Everyone who knows me is aware of my joking nature,” he stated. The family took to social media, sharing images of their quirky installation on a local Facebook group, Odd Things Around Cambridge, where their kids have since earned a bit of school fame for their involvement in the project.
Remarkably, just four days after the legs were displayed, the pothole was filled in. “I can confirm that the pothole in question … was fixed yesterday,” confirmed Jonathan Kitley, a spokesperson for the Cambridge City Council. However, he did not comment on the legs that prompted attention to the issue.
Coxall expressed satisfaction with the repairs but noted that previous attempts to fix the pothole did not stand the test of time. “It looks decent, but we will have to see how it holds up against traffic and bad weather. I’m not overly optimistic,” he remarked.
While the pothole has been addressed, the quirky legs remain a piece of art on the roadside. Coxall shared that his wife managed to save the installation before it was removed, ensuring that the family’s humor didn’t go unnoticed.
Inspired by their success, Coxall is already considering his next project. “There are plenty of potholes in the village to choose from,” he noted, contemplating a new creative prank, possibly involving a nod to the Titanic. “That would be quite cool, wouldn’t it?”
Source
www.cbc.ca