A pothole vigilante in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, has begun painting St George's Crosses over potholes in a bid to force the council to repair them. Ben Thornbury, 20, used white and red paint to mark five potholes on Neibull Close, hoping the eye-catching flags would draw attention to the issue.
Thornbury has a history of unconventional protests. Last year, he pretended to fish from a large pothole, wore a mask of a former local MP while sitting in a camping chair, and turned potholes into a pitch-and-putt course for the public. He now believes he has 'cracked the code for getting potholes sorted' by using the England flag.
The 20-year-old said he was inspired by the recent controversy in Birmingham, where the city council removed England and Union Jack flags from poles, citing safety risks, while allowing Palestinian flags to fly for an extended period. Thornbury stated: '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.' Thornbury noted that residents had complained about the state of the town centre for eight months, but it was resurfaced weeks after he highlighted it.
The Daily Express has contacted Birmingham City Council for comment. Thornbury is still waiting to see if the flagged potholes will be fixed.
