A Scottish hamlet cheekily immortalised by the late radio presenter Sir Terry Wogan has declared a new war on saucy souvenir hunters who constantly steal its famous and suggestive road signs.
Thieves have regularly targeted the official place names for Cock Bridge in Aberdeenshire – but now the council is working on “tamper proof” editions.
Wogan regularly made fun on air of the settlement which is on the road to the Lecht Ski Centre.
Disappointing place names were stolen
On his BBC Radio 2 show, Wogan, who died in 2016 at the age of 77, helped bring the Cock Bridge to Tomintoul road and local postmistress Mrs MacKay to fame.
Aberdeenshire Council previously said it was “disappointing” that the place name had been stolen and replacements were on order and will be installed “as soon as possible”.
However they were stolen again last summer.
The signs were also a target for people to plaster stickers – such was the eye-catching notoriety of the placename.
But since the summer the hamlet has been without a visible name.
Now Aberdeenshire Council – instead of just replacing them to be stolen again – is working on putting Cock Bridge back on the map for good.
Tamper proofing sign
A spokesperson Aberdeenshire Council said:”We are aware of the issues with this sign and are working to replace it using more robust ‘tamper proof’ fixings.”
Local councillor Geva Blackett, who represents Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside, said: ”Those signs continually get targeted as do another lot in my ward – the signs for Lost. The signs for Lost are continually lost.
“People who take them think it’s amusing and they end up on somebody’s wall as a souvenir.
“But every time they are replaced it costs money which means another pothole does not get filled or a school book does not get replaced.
“I’m sure the ingenuity of the council engineers will now come up with a thief proof sign for Cock Bridge – and I hope I’m not proved wrong.”
Conversation