Residents of Midsomer Norton were left puzzled when a road sign welcoming them to their town was mysteriously replaced with one declaring they were now in Frome—an entirely different town located ten miles away.
This odd mix-up is just one example of a wider series of sign-swapping incidents affecting towns and villages across the West Country, including Somerset, Wiltshire, and Dorset. The phenomenon first gained attention in March and has since involved multiple communities finding their welcome signs relocated or switched with those from distant areas.
Local pensioner Peter Sas spotted and photographed the incorrect sign in Midsomer Norton over the bank holiday weekend. “It’s either an ambitious prank, a sneaky invasion by the army of Frome, or a classic bungle by the daftest council in Bath and North East Somerset,” Peter quipped. “Local people can draw their own conclusions.”
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So far, four road signs have been confirmed as displaced, reappearing far from their original locations. Signs from Camerton and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset were discovered in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, while the Bradford-on-Avon sign was found on Portland, more than 60 miles away. Meanwhile, a Waterlip sign surfaced in Midsomer Norton.
Bradford-on-Avon Town Council suspects pranksters are behind the incidents and has contacted the police. “The Jurassic Coast sign was exchanged for ours over the weekend, though we’re not sure exactly when,” their statement read.
Bath & North East Somerset Council described the sign swaps as baffling and urged the public to report any incorrect signs. Officials noted that the culprits aren’t simply covering existing signs but physically removing and relocating them.
Several councils have condemned the pranks, highlighting them as a costly waste of public resources. Parvis Khansari, corporate director at Wiltshire Council, called the swaps “an unnecessary use of both time and money that could be better spent on providing a service to the public.” All known cases have now been reported to the police.
Somerset Council labelled the acts as criminal damage and called on residents to remain vigilant. Dorset Council echoed the concern, deeming the incidents “a regrettable misuse of valuable time and resources better allocated to serving the community.”