A model village has restored its popular tiny topless streaker figurine after 98 per cent of fans voted to save the cheeky miniature from being removed
A tiny topless streaker figurine has made a triumphant return to a popular model village after an outcry from furious locals. Bosses at Godshill Model Village on the Isle of Wight recently banished the cheeky miniature from its football pitch following complaints from offended visitors.
The figurine, dubbed “Erica”, was originally added as a “light-hearted joke” in a nod to the legendary era of sports pitch invaders in the 1970s and 80s.
Its sudden removal sparked outrage among fans of the attraction, with regular visitor Rupert Willoughby blasting the decision to ditch a figure that represented the site’s “whimsical sense of humour”.
However, after a massive backlash, the owners launched an online poll to let the public decide the streaker’s fate, reports the Telegraph.
An overwhelming 98 per cent (5,023 people) voted to bring Erica back, while just 66 people (two per cent) voted to keep her binned.
Delighted fans celebrated the landslide victory on social media. Marion Kent wrote: “Some people need a sense of humour transplant!” Christine Egleton added: “She’s been around much longer than the ‘delicate’ generation.”
Announcing the return on Instagram, the venue revealed the fmodel would be back with a brand new twist.
They posted: “She will be returning…but this time swapping the football pitch for various secret locations around the gardens.
“We would like her return to help raise awareness and funds for a wonderful local breast cancer charity. So if you spot her hiding in the gardens, there will be a donation pot nearby if you’d like to show your support.”
The pitch-invading figurine was created by local artist Helen Woodhouse for the venue, which features one-tenth-scale versions of the villages of Godshill and Shanklin.
Defending the initial decision to take it down, director Penny Dyer previously said: “Streaking was very much a feature of a different era.
“It is far less common and is no longer something that younger visitors recognise, so the model has lost much of its original relevance.”