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Killjoy Royal Mail bosses have vowed to cover up the handiwork of a mystery painter who has spruced up a village postbox with a lively new colour scheme.
The newly-painted post box
Mysterious village vigilantes decided to repaint the village postbox in The Square in Dalston with a regal colours.
But Royal Mail bosses are unimpressed by the colourful upgrade. A spokesman told the News & Star: “The post box will be repainted as soon as possible.”
Locals, however, seem happy with the makeover.
Parish council chairman Bryan Craig said: “I think it looks fantastic – that’s how it would have been years ago before the Royal Mail stopped paying to have it in colour. I think it would be a shame to paint over it.
“It’s probably something somebody has done for Cumbria In Bloom. There’s all sorts of tidying up going on, people are sweeping up, painting things and tidying up, and somebody must have taken the initiative to do the postbox.”
The crown on the pillar box has been painted gold, with the jewels around it in different colours and the ER legend made black and white to help it stand out against the red base colour.
Julie Greenaway, who works in the nearby Wedding Boutique, said: “It has been left red, but somebody has put different colours on it – it’s nothing outrageous, and it looks better.
“I don’t know what they were thinking when they did it but it’s certainly different to other post boxes.”
Peter Vaughan, who lives in the village, contacted the News & Star after spotting the postbox on his way to work on Monday.
He added: “It’s funny what makes your day, and seeing the newly decorated post box in Dalston has made mine.
“Is this a new strategy to lure us back into using the postal service rather than e-mail? Probably not, but whoever the phantom pillar box painter is, I applaud you, it looks fantastic.
“Just think if they were all brought back to how they used to look, a symbol of pride in our communities, how much better we would feel as we pass them in our daily routines. So if you’re passing through Dalston slow up, take a glance at her as she stands in all her glory next to where the original Post Office was.”