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Pranksters decorate statue of legendary cricket umpire Dickie Bird with a bra

CRICKET pranksters are bowling undie-arm — by decorating a statue of legendary umpire Dickie Bird with a bra.

Council bosses raised the bronze onto a plinth after undies were repeatedly left dangling from his out-stretched finger.

How legendary umpire Dickie Bird’s statue might look after one of its regular ‘dressing’ by pranksters

But drunken partygoers are still clambering up the 5ft 10in life-size model in Barnsley, South Yorks., to leave their smalls.

Some are even rolling condoms over his world famous digit while others have added Covid face masks.

A council binman said: “They raised the plinth a few years back to stop people getting up, but it hasn’t worked.

“Kids are still finding ways to clamber up to stick things on Dickie’s finger. It’s a regular thing in the town.

“We’ve removed jonnies ladies’ knickers and Christmas decorations.

“It’s quite a common thing for lads and lasses to do, but with the pubs lockdown it hasn’t happened as much recently.”

Keen cricket fan Donald Abbott, 72, a retired miner and former soldier, said: “People think it is a funny thing to do, but I think it’s disrespectful.

The real Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird with his famous finger

“Dickie Bird is a great man from this town, who is known nationally and internationally.”

Art student Bethany Dewsnap, 17, said: “The plinth is higher but people are still putting things on his finger.”

Dickie, 87, choked back tears after his statue – facing Shaw Lane Cricket Club, where he started his playing career – was unveiled by Prince Charles in 2009.

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