Residents baffled by telegraph poles that look like ‘sticks of celery’

Residents have been left baffled by the arrival of bright green telegraph poles which they say look like ‘sticks of celery’. 

The giant masts were erected on Fenn Street in St Mary Hoo, Kent, this month after the old poles reached the end of their lifespan. 

But locals who drive along the main road have raised eyebrows at the unusual colour of the new masts, comparing them to various green vegetables such as leeks, celery and asparagus. 

Councillor Nick Craddy, parish council leader for St Mary Hoo, said he has been inundated with questions from bemused residents asking why the poles look so strange. 

‘I started getting messages asking why there were sticks of celery going up by the roadside,’ he said. 

‘I wondered what they meant, and then I saw them. Since then lots of people have commented on them because they do stand out.’ 

He added: ‘I’d never thought about it before, but I’ve only ever known telegraph poles to be brown, so when they’re suddenly not – and they’re a bright colour like that – it’s a bit of a surprise.’ 

UK Power Network (UKPN), who is responsible for the rollout of replacement poles in the area, said the masts are green because they were treated with an alternative to traditional brown wood preservative, which is gradually being phased out. 

But some locals reportedly joked that the ‘glow’ the green poles give off could be evidence of extraterrestrial life, after an inflatable green alien was used to decorate Fenn Corner roundabout nearby. 

It follows a campaign by residents to improve the appearance of the roundabout on the A228, after it was branded a ‘slab of concrete’ and compared to a ‘flying saucer’. 

Despite their appearance, the erection of the new poles is still being welcomed by some, after many locals reportedly suffered from regular power cuts due to the condition of the old masts. 

Councillor Craddy told KentOnline that the previous poles were ‘totally askew’, adding he is hopeful that any new masts will lead to improvements in power in the area. 

A spokesperson for UKPN said: ‘The wooden poles we’re installing in Fenn Street, St Mary Hoo, are green as the wood is treated with an alternative to traditional brown wood preservative, which is gradually being phased out.

‘They will have a similar lifespan to existing electricity poles and customers will see more of them in future.

‘The colour is likely to fade over time in sunlight.’

The installation of new telegraph poles has been scrutinised by locals across the UK in recent years, with many branding them an ‘eyesore’ and claiming they block views and, in some cases, even driveways. 

Some have even feared the position of the masts on their road could lead to a decrease in house prices, while others have participated in campaigns to stop more going up in their area.