Swapped road signs confiscated and awaiting exchange
On Friday, March 21, the Wiltshire Times reported that the 'Welcome to Bradford on Avon' signs had been replaced with those of Camerton, a village in Somerset.
Just two days later, on Sunday, March 23, it emerged that the signs had been swapped again, this time with one from much further afield, the sign reading 'Jurassic coast'.
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The switch 'baffled' local councils and residents alike and made national titles as news of the pranksters' stunt spread.
Now, Wiltshire Council has said the signs have been moved to its Melksham depot, where it is being held while a swap with Dorset's authorities is arranged.
Parvis Khansari, corporate director, Place, told the Times: 'The sign is currently being stored at our Melksham depot.
'We are in contact with Dorset Highways Department to arrange to exchange the road signs that were swapped.'
At the time the sign swap was first reported, Bradford on Avon Town Council posted a photo on its Facebook page of a sign reading 'Camerton', where the 'Welcome to Bradford on Avon' is ordinarily located.
Camerton is a village in the Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council area, approximately 11 miles from Bradford on Avon.
A spokesperson for the town council confirmed the sign had been replaced later that day. However, two days later, the sign had been swapped again.
Now, the sign appears to have been swapped with one from the Jurassic Coast, with a post on the Spotted in Bradford on Avon Facebook group reading: 'Yesterday Camerton... today Jurassic Coast...'
The sign reads, 'Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site', and a blue ammonite is emblazoned above the text.
A post from the afternoon of Monday, March 24, appears to reveal the location of the missing sign as Portland, a peninsula to the south of Weymouth.
The post reads: 'Just incase anyone wondered where your signpost had gone.'
Responding to the initial switch with Camerton, Parvis Khansari, corporate director for Place, said: "We are aware that several road signs around the Bradford on Avon area have been swapped overnight for signs from Camerton near Radstock.
"We are in communication with Bath & North East Somerset Council in order to swap the signs back and it has also been reported to the police for further investigation.
'We are in communication with Bath & North East Somerset Council in order to swap the signs back and it has also been reported to the police for further investigation.'
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On Monday, March 24, B&NES Council told the Times they are also looking into the initial swap, and told the Wiltshire Times they had reported it to the police.
Cllr Manda Rigby said: 'We know Camerton is not near Bradford on Avon. This was definitely not a sign put up by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
'We are as baffled as the town council. We have removed this sign and several others that appeared in the local area over the weekend and reported the matter to the police.
'If anyone sees incorrect signs like this in our area please report them to us using Fix My Street.'
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