Fed-up locals in pretty seaside village are left fuming after council installs dozens of red-and-white ‘Mario Kart’-style barrels to prevent traffic jams

• Big wooden tubs filled with soil appeared overnight in Craster, Northumberland
• Council chiefs say they intend to slow traffic down and guide drivers to car park
• But furious locals say the barrels make the village resemble a video game track 

Fed-up locals living in one of the UK’s prettiest villages are fuming after council chiefs installed dozens of red-and-white ‘Mario Kart’-style barrels to prevent traffic jams.

The large wooden tubs which have been filled with soil appeared overnight in the popular coastal village of Craster, in Northumberland.

Town hall chiefs say they are intended to slow traffic down and guide holidaymakers into the car park to prevent them clogging up the narrow streets by the harbour.

Bizarrely, the 305 villagers are being encouraged to ‘adopt a barrel’ which they can use to plant flowers to make them look more attractive.

But furious locals say the 3ft-wide barrels make the village – once voted the UK’s prettiest place to live – resemble a ‘Mario Kart race track’.

Fed-up locals living in one of the UK’s prettiest villages are fuming after council chiefs installed dozens of red-and-white ‘Mario Kart’-style barrels to prevent traffic jams

Villagers have compared the scheme to that seen in popular Nintendo game Mario Kart

The large wooden tubs which have been filled with soil appeared overnight in the popular coastal village of Craster, in Northumberland

The small seaside village was once voted as the prettiest place to live anywhere in the UK 

Resident Bill Yates, 40, stormed: ‘I couldn’t believe it when I drove home and saw these things dotting the road side.

‘At first I thought they were traffic bollards for workmen but then I realised they were actually flower pots.

‘They council say they will plant bulbs in them but at the moment they’re just full of soil. The village looks like something out of Mario Kart.’

Fellow resident Angie Morris, 55, said: ‘The council have made the village a laughing stock.

‘We’re a very quiet village, famous around the world for our kippers. These flower pots are just daft and ruin the look of the place.’

Writing on Facebook, Nick Lyons remarked: ‘Watch out for a banana skin when you hit that corner!’

Stephen Thompson added: ‘Luigi isn’t impressed with this new course on Mario Kart.’

Meanwhile Richard Hunter wrote: ‘Thought I was looking at a go cart track. Lewis Hamilton will like it.’

Town hall chiefs say they are intended to slow traffic down and guide holidaymakers into the car park to prevent them clogging up the narrow streets by the harbour 

Bizarrely, the 305 villagers are being encouraged to ‘adopt a barrel’ which they can use to plant flowers to make them look more attractive

But furious locals say the 3ft-wide barrels make the village – once voted the UK’s prettiest place to live – resemble a ‘Mario Kart race track’

Northumberland County Council installed the large pots at the entrance of the village as part of a package of traffic measures

The parish council has appealed for locals to ‘adopt a barrel’ by watering and maintaining it in the form of a scaled down ‘in bloom’ contest

Northumberland County Council installed the large pots at the entrance of the village as part of a package of traffic measures.

Councillor Wendy Pattison, local county councillor, told a meeting of Craster Parish Council: ‘I think they will look much nicer once there is something in them.

‘If this doesn’t work the tubs can be shoved in the back of a van and the road markings can easily be changed.

‘I know a lot of people are really hating it but let’s give it six months to be reviewed and see where we go from there. Let’s give it a shot. It’s only for 12 months.’

The parish council has appealed for locals to ‘adopt a barrel’ by watering and maintaining it in the form of a scaled down ‘in bloom’ contest.

Council chairperson Martin Smith said: ‘They’re not the most aesthetic as things stand so they really need some plants in.’

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