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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Southend 'Mr Blobby' house painted in revenge wedding prank | Southend 'Mr Blobby' house painted in revenge wedding prank |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A newly-wed couple got back from honeymoon to find their home painted in the style of Mr Blobby - as part of a revenge prank by the groom's brother. | A newly-wed couple got back from honeymoon to find their home painted in the style of Mr Blobby - as part of a revenge prank by the groom's brother. |
| Plasterer Russell O'Rourke, 35, spent two days on the makeover of his brother Steve's home in Hamstel Road, Southend. | |
| It was in retaliation to a joke six years ago when Russell was on honeymoon and Steve, a builder, put up a brick wall across his driveway. | It was in retaliation to a joke six years ago when Russell was on honeymoon and Steve, a builder, put up a brick wall across his driveway. |
| The design has prompted mixed reaction from neighbours. | The design has prompted mixed reaction from neighbours. |
| 'Funny side' | 'Funny side' |
| Mr O'Rourke, 32, and his new wife Hayley, 31, arrived home at about 04:00 BST on Sunday to discover the house "glowing" pink, despite the early hour. | Mr O'Rourke, 32, and his new wife Hayley, 31, arrived home at about 04:00 BST on Sunday to discover the house "glowing" pink, despite the early hour. |
| Mrs O'Rourke, a mother of two, said: "It was pure shock to start with. | |
| "We had a feeling he (Russell) might have done something because of the stunt Steve pulled, but we weren't expecting anything on the outside of the house. | "We had a feeling he (Russell) might have done something because of the stunt Steve pulled, but we weren't expecting anything on the outside of the house. |
| "We were quite horrified, but then we just laughed and had to see the funny side of it. | "We were quite horrified, but then we just laughed and had to see the funny side of it. |
| "Everyone seems to love it and is taking pictures, they think it's hilarious. The neighbours have said it brightens up the street and we should keep it." | "Everyone seems to love it and is taking pictures, they think it's hilarious. The neighbours have said it brightens up the street and we should keep it." |
| Crinkley Bottom | Crinkley Bottom |
| Staff at the Bakers Box, a sandwich bar opposite the pink property, said the house has "brightened people's spirits" and "everybody is smiling and talking about it". | |
| However, one person told the BBC it was a "disgusting eyesore". | However, one person told the BBC it was a "disgusting eyesore". |
| Mr and Mrs O'Rourke said they did not intend to keep the colour scheme long-term but admitted removing it may take some time. | Mr and Mrs O'Rourke said they did not intend to keep the colour scheme long-term but admitted removing it may take some time. |
| "Russell thinks it's very funny and has no intention of helping to paint it over, but because we've been away and my husband has got such a backlog of work, it may well be sometime before the Blobby house goes," said Mrs O'Rourke. | "Russell thinks it's very funny and has no intention of helping to paint it over, but because we've been away and my husband has got such a backlog of work, it may well be sometime before the Blobby house goes," said Mrs O'Rourke. |
| Mr Blobby, who was pink with yellow spots, was a popular character on the Saturday evening TV programme Noel's House Party, starring Noel Edmonds, which ran on BBC One throughout the 1990s. | Mr Blobby, who was pink with yellow spots, was a popular character on the Saturday evening TV programme Noel's House Party, starring Noel Edmonds, which ran on BBC One throughout the 1990s. |
| He disappeared from the public eye after the show was dropped in 1999. | He disappeared from the public eye after the show was dropped in 1999. |
| A theme park in Morecambe based on the fictional village featured in the programme, Crinkley Bottom, closed after just 13 weeks in 1994, losing Lancaster City Council £2m. | A theme park in Morecambe based on the fictional village featured in the programme, Crinkley Bottom, closed after just 13 weeks in 1994, losing Lancaster City Council £2m. |