Skip to content

Covid: Phone box turned into Santa with facemask in Prickwillow makeover

BBC Cary Outis and Santa phone boxBBC
Artist Cary Outis said he went a "bit Covid" when he came up with a way to decorate the disused phone box in The Fens

An artist has brought some festive cheer with a difference to a village with his latest "silly, not trite" transformation of a disused phone box.

Over the years, the booth in Prickwillow, Cambridgeshire, has been turned into Santa's sleigh nose-diving into the ground, a bauble and Santa at the front of a steam train.

But this year, Cary Outis has brought the theme that has dominated 2020 to the defunct red kiosk - coronavirus.

"I went a bit Covid," he said.

His design features a giant Santa's head wearing a mask that says "Happy Christmas, protect each other".

Cary Outis The Santa with a facemaskCary Outis
Mr Outis said this year's design has been met with a "fabulous" response

The telephone box was bought by the parish council in 2010 and turned into a miniature art gallery.

It has brought some festive cheer to the village near Ely every year since 2011 when the Ouse Life Drawing Group was asked to decorate it.

Mr Outis has done six of the nine designs.

One of the previous designs, a presents-filled sleigh nose-diving into the ground
One of the previous designs was a presents-filled sleigh nose-diving into the ground
Cary Outis One of the previous designs, the phone box with angel wingsCary Outis
Another saw the phone box given angel wings
Cary Outis One of the previous designs, Santa at the front of a trainCary Outis
Last year's featured Santa's head at the front of a train

The painter and sculptor said he had not felt inspired to do anything in response to the pandemic because he had not wanted to - until now.

"I like doing interesting art if I can, but I couldn't think of anything that was not trite. This is silly but hopefully not trite," he said.

Prickwillow phone box
In previous years, the phone box has been a present, sweet and bauble

Mr Outis said it took about 12 hours to make, plus the time to install it.

It will stay on Main Street until 31 December.

Mr Outis said the response so far had been "fabulous", with cyclists shouting as they went past and motorists giving him the thumbs-up.

He said the challenge now would be doing something "bigger and better" next year.

"The more difficult, the more fun," he added.

presentational grey line

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]