A grey day for pink police box as painter gets to work

Published on Saturday 23 February 2008 10:39

Force chiefs take dim view of new look and send in workmen

IT raised eyebrows and brightened up the streets of an Edinburgh neighbourhood for just a week.

But now the pink police box in Newcraighall has been returned to its normal shade of sensible blue.

Vandals were seen spending several hours with sandpaper and paintbrushes on the disused box, perhaps in celebration of the force's good relations with the gay community.

Some residents may have viewed the pink box as an improvement, but officers took a dim view of the new look.

They launched an investigation and workmen were soon dispatched to return the box to a more sensible shade of police blue.

A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: "The box was repainted back to its original colour, which is standard practice in these situations."

The impromptu makeover is thought to have been in tribute to the force being named Scotland's best employer for lesbian, gay and bisexual people earlier this year.

The rainbow flag of the lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender (LGBT) community has been flying over the force's Fettes headquarters to mark LBGT History Month.

And senior officer, Chief Inspector David Lyle, has been entered into the world's sexiest gay man contest. Chief Insp Lyle said he was "flattered" someone had seen fit to nominate him for the Sex Factor 2008 contest hosted by dating site Gaydar.

No-one has been arrested in connection with the pink paint job, which was carried out on the box at the junction of The Wisp and Newcraighall Road on Friday, last week.