For months, the people living in a small English village had been dealing with a growing problem that just wouldn’t go away—potholes. These weren’t minor cracks in the road. We’re talking about deep, dangerous craters that made driving a daily challenge and a hazard. Residents had been filing complaints with their local council, hoping someone would finally fix the issue, but their concerns seemed to be falling on deaf ears. Tired of waiting for help that never came, one local man decided to take a different approach. His name is James Coxall, a 41-year-old carpenter from Castle Camps in Cambridgeshire, and he managed to capture the attention of the entire community, and eventually local officials, with a prank so hilarious and attention-grabbing that no one could ignore it.
On February 23, Coxall decided it was time to send a message—and he wasn’t going to do it by writing another email or making a phone call. Instead, he chose to use humor and creativity to point out just how bad the potholes had gotten. With help from his wife and kids, he set up a display on Haverhill Road, right in the middle of one of the worst potholes in the area. He took an old pair of jeans, stuffed them with rags to give them shape, and used wooden supports to keep them upright. Then, he added a pair of sneakers that, according to Coxall, were originally meant for donation. “We figured we’d give them an outing first,” he joked. The result was a fake set of legs sticking straight up out of the pothole, giving the appearance that someone had fallen in and disappeared below the surface. To keep the prank from tipping over, he used a brick to weigh it down and carefully positioned it in the water-filled hole. Once everything was in place, he snapped a photo of his work and shared it in two local Facebook groups: Odd Things Around Cambridge and a community page for Haverhill residents.
The response was almost immediate. People loved it. Comments flooded in, with many locals applauding Coxall’s creativity and sense of humor. The photo was shared again and again, spreading far beyond the local community. While the prank was good for a laugh, it also served a much bigger purpose. It got people talking about the issue in a way that no amount of formal complaints ever had. Coxall told the BBC that he was just trying to have a bit of fun while making a point. “It’s just a bit of fun, and I’ve had lots of messages about it,” he said. “People seem to like it around here, but then again, I am known as a bit of a joker.”
What started as a clever joke soon sparked real action. Thanks to the growing attention the prank received, Cambridgeshire County Council finally took notice. Officials announced that a highways officer would be sent out to inspect the road and assess the damage. They also promised that repairs would be made where needed. In their statement, the council encouraged residents to report potholes using the online reporting system—a system many locals felt had failed them in the past. It seemed that Coxall’s prank had done in one day what months of formal reporting couldn’t achieve.
This story is a perfect example of how humor can be a powerful tool in community activism. Potholes are a common annoyance in towns and cities all over the world, but Coxall’s creative approach turned a local frustration into a widely discussed topic that forced action. His prank wasn’t just about making people laugh; it was about shining a light on an issue that affected everyone in his village. By using humor to bring attention to the problem, he managed to create real change.
As for Coxall, he remains amused by the whole experience. He never expected his prank to go viral or have the impact that it did, but he’s glad it made people smile. More importantly, he’s happy that it looks like the road might finally get the repairs it desperately needs. Sometimes, all it takes to get things moving is a little imagination, a good sense of humor, and an old pair of jeans. Coxall’s story shows us that even the smallest actions can lead to meaningful results, especially when they come with a healthy dose of creativity and fun.
