Residents of the idyllic thoroughfare of Bridge Street, Crickhowell, have been mystified by an influx of new neighbours, arrivals it is safe to say that have changed and added to their previously quiet community writes Ross Pinkerton.

It all started when a local utilities company fitted new sensors to monitor the flow of water through the drains of the historic street. Part of this work involved installing a post to house the electronics of the vital technology. Standing on the pavement, at approximately 1.2 metres tall, the bollard was dark, featureless and unremarkable; or so it was thought. The upright people of Crickhowell are a welcoming tribe and soon embraced the new feature, naming him, “Bertie the Bollard”.

Life returned to normal, after the initial excitement, so imagine the shock for these good people when Bertie, apparently overnight, morphed into ‘Snowy the Snowman’.

“It was a miracle; nobody seems to know how it happened,”claims local resident and self-proclaimed Bertie expert Kevin King, 45, retired real tennis coach.

If this was not peculiar enough, imagine the shock when sometime later residents observed another transformation as “Percy the Pelican” took his turn on the pedestal. Then, at Easter time, the “Easter Bunny” appeared. The latest persona of Bertie is “Larry the Lobster”, and this reporter has it on good authority, from a reliable but secret source, that many more characters are in Bertie’s repertoire, so will they be coming to Crickhowell soon?

“Lyn, over 21, a local town councillor and Bridge Street resident is delighted. “I’m delighted,” she enthused. “Bertie and his many friends are very welcome. Bridge Street is such a lovely community, and we are always keen to greet new members.”

“Bertie has become something of a celebrity, people often take selfies with him, they come from all over the world, America, Europe even Ebbw Vale.” Bertie enthusiast Mike, 56, recently retired male model, told us. “The strange thing is only children and the young at heart can see Bertie and his friends.”

Although it must be reported that not everyone I spoke to was happy, Mr G Rumpy, 103, retired tax official from Llangattock told me, “I can’t understand what all the fuss is about, it’s just a post,” he complained.

It is true that Bertie and his friends are not without controversy, since their arrival some local gardeners have been complaining that their Leeks and Daffodils have gone missing. But this reporter has fact checked these claims and whilst photographic evidence suggests that on St Davids Day, Larry the Lobster was indeed holding Leeks and sporting Daffs in his hat, these could easily be AI fakes.

Whatever the questions and accusations, for the citizens of Bridge Street, and the many visitors flocking to see the phenomena, the next Bertie transformation is eagerly awaited. The burning question is – are you one of the lucky souls who can see and appreciate him?