Village statue gets WW2 makeover for VE Day

A village statue that has been secretly dressed up to mark special occasions since at least the 1970s has been transformed into a World War Two soldier to mark Victory in Europe Day.

The statue of Lord John Scott, in Dunchurch, Warwickshire, has been dressed with military gear including an old British tin helmet with a gun, flask, belt and rucksack.

A beacon will be lit in the village on Thursday and a party will be held on Saturday in The Square with entertainment, historical displays, vintage vehicles and food stalls.

VE Day was when the European part of World War Two ended, with the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies on 8 May 1945.

Amber Cummins, from Dunchurch Festival Group, said: "Dunchurch is ready for action."

"No-one knows who decorates the statue but is is widely spread about Dunchurch that it is the Dunchurch elves.

"Whatever happens, the Lord Scott statue will be ready to do his bit."

According to the Friends of Dunchurch Society, the first time the statue was dressed up, in the 1970s, it was as a soldier with a gas mask and it has since gone on to take many other guises.

Other characters have ranged from Homer Simpson to Pinocchio.

Over the decades, Lord John has also been made up as an angel, Harry Potter, Darth Maul from Star Wars, Peppa Pig, Spiderman, Mr Blobby and the Queen.

The real Lord John Douglas-Montagu-Scott was a 19th Century landlord and a Scottish MP.

He inherited his estate in Warwickshire and his statue was erected by his tenants "in affectionate remembrance", the local history group said.

He died in 1860 and the Grade II-listed limestone statue was unveiled in 1867.

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