STOKE MAN ERECTS SIX-FOOT SCARECROW TO DETER U-TURNS, NEIGHBOURS NOW DOING U-TURNS TO LOOK AT IT

A Stoke resident, fed up with motorists using his cul-de-sac as a turning bay, has erected a six-foot scarecrow on his front verge as what he describes as "a final warning".

Malcolm Penrose, 58, of Saxton Road, said he'd been keeping a tally on the fridge since April. Forty-three U-turns in one weekend was the breaking point. "Used to be you'd see a Holden ute three times a day and that was your lot," Penrose said. "Now it's Mazdas, Hiluxes, a Tesla doing a seven-point on the lawn. Lawn's rooted."

The scarecrow, which Penrose has named Trevor, wears a hi-vis vest, gumboots, and a fishing hat. Its arms are stuck out in what Penrose calls "a clear non-verbal cue". Neighbour Dianne Croucher said Trevor had made the traffic worse. "People are stopping to take photos. Saw a woman get out of her Suzuki and pose with it. She did a U-turn afterwards."

Nelson City Council confirmed it had received "a number of enquiries" about the scarecrow but said no bylaw appeared to be breached, provided Trevor stayed on private property and was not "actively menacing". A spokesperson declined to define menacing.

Penrose is now considering a second scarecrow, possibly a wife for Trevor, at the other end of the verge. He concedes the original problem has not improved. "Reminds me of '74," he said, looking off toward the bay. "You could leave a tinnie on the pier back then."

Trevor was, at time of filing, wearing sunglasses someone had added overnight.