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'Be Kind' road sign appears on city street

BBC A triangular road sign, with a white face, red edgings and black text, reads 'Be Kind' and shows a monochrome cartoon illustration of a person helping another off the floor.BBC

The contractors behind the "Err Nerr Rerd Werks" sign, written in the Hull dialect, have created a new notice urging people to "be kind".

The sign, in Queen's Dock Avenue in the city, has been put up by MB Roche civil engineering during renovation work on the Maritime Museum.

Director Matthew Roche said the firm hoped to put a smile on people's faces ahead of celebrations for Pride later this month.

"We were working right next to the phone box that has the rainbow colours and it just seems like a very good idea," he added.

Daniel Roche A yellow road sign featuring the triangular red and black symbol for roadworks and black letters reading "Err Nerr Rerd Werks" (Oh no, road works)Daniel Roche
The sign translates as "oh no, road works" in the Hull accent

In 2018, the company lit up faces with an "Err Nerr Rerd Werks" sign, which advised motorists about the closure of a roundabout for resurfacing work.

For those not familiar with the Hull accent, it translated as: "Oh no, road works".

The sign later went missing from the Hessle Road area in 2021 and in a jovial post on social media, the firm offered a reward of a pattie buttie for its "safe return".

"Fortunately a lady rang us up and said 'it's been hanging up in my utility room for the past six months, my son stole it for me because I really love it'," said Mr Roche.

"She said she basically just wanted a picture of the sign as a replacement. So we did that and we've got the sign back, thankfully."

MB Roche A yellow road sign featuring a joke traffic symbol showing a bicycle rider giving a passenger a "croggy" and black letters reading "Yer Jerking, Merr Rerd Werks" (you're joking, more road works)MB Roche
Another tongue-in-cheek sign has been stolen and is yet to be returned

Another tongue-in-cheek road sign, put up by the firm in 2020, read: "Yer Jerking, Merr Rerd Werks" (you're joking, more road works) and included a fake traffic symbol showing a bicycle rider giving a "croggy" to a passenger.

The sign was stolen last year from Beverley Road, between Hessle and Anlaby, and is yet to be returned.

Mr Roche said the company later received a mysterious ransom note in the post with a picture of the sign and a message made out of cut-out newspaper letters, which read: "Sign is safe! I don't like patties!"

"We're yet to find out what the kidnappers truly want," he added.

MB Roche A ransom note made up of cut-out black and white newspaper letters, a picture of a stolen road sign and a masthead from the Daily Express. The text reads: "Sign is safe! I don't like patties!"MB Roche
The mysterious ransom note received by the firm

Hull Pride will be staged in Queen Victoria Square and surrounding streets on 27 July.

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