Patrick Mahon, alias The Pink Panther

A Telford man dubbed the Pink Panther today claimed he was responsible for a massive smiley pink face which mysteriously appeared on a town roundabout.

Patrick Mahon first gained notoriety in the late 1990s when he painted bright pink faces at Trench Lock. He described how he had gone to the roundabout at the junction of the A5 and B5060 in Priorslee at 2am today with two friends to put up his latest artwork.

Mr Mahon, 38, who described himself as a spokesman for the Mental Positivity Liberation, part of a group called the Pink and Purpley Druids, said the move was partly to celebrate the summer solstice.

He said the smiley face, which is made from two pink sheets bought from Wellington shop Dunhelm for £90, was called the Shroud of the Pink and Purpley Druids.

Mr Mahon, of Wrockwardine Wood, said he had paid someone to stitch together the sheets and put the smiley faces on them.

Today a Telford & Wrekin Council official said one of its workers had alerted them to the 15ft high pink structure, but had to remove it for safety reasons.

Pyramid

Officials were worried that it would distract motorists.

Workers were at the structure this morning to start taking it down.

Paul Carline, a council worker at the site, said: “I have got to take it down and take it back to the offices. It’s because of safety with drivers looking at it and not looking where they are going.”

Mr Mahon, who was known as the Pink Panther, last struck in 2008 when he stuck a decorated pyramid on top of a busy traffic island as an April Fools’ Day stunt. On January 1, 2000, when he planted a 4ft by 4ft pyramid on Apley Roundabout.

And he also claimed responsibility for a 6ft by 4ft pyramid at Haybridge Roundabout, next to Furrows Garage.

Councillor Adrian Lawrence, cabinet member for the environment, said today: “The artwork on the Limekiln Bank roundabout on the Telford to Stafford road has been removed by our environment maintenance team.

“We have had similar pieces of artwork appear before, specifically on the Trench Lock roundabout.

“Although these displays are impressive and have a short term novelty value, we have a duty to remove illegal signs, on health and safety grounds.

“If the artist would like to contact the environmental maintenance team at Granville House, Donnington (01952) 384720, we would be happy for him or her to arrange to collect.”

By Lisa Rowley