A huge painted figure that has become a landmark has been transformed and now celebrates the NHS by wearing scrubs and full PPE.

The ‘Big Man’ on Sheppey, which stands just outside of the Bay View Garden Centre in Leysdown Road, is popular with residents and tourists alike.

In the past it has been a groom, with a top hat and tail for the Royal Wedding in 2011, a Minion, Buzz Lightyear and The Incredible Hulk to name a few.

But as a special tribute to the NHS and key workers during the coronavirus pandemic, the Big Man is now dressed in medical scrubs, with gloves and a mask, and is standing next to signs thanking the health service, emergency services and all key workers.

The figure, which has also been known as the Leysdown Giant, is made of metal and fibreglass and is about 15ft tall.

It belongs to Leysdown parish councillor Dave Purssord, who owns the garden centre, and is painted by Peter Goodspeed, of Leysdown Chalet Services.

Mr Purssord said: “With everything that’s going on, I said to Peter ‘what can we do for the NHS’? He came up with that and got to work painting it.

“He looks smashing. Out of all of the ones we’ve done, this is the best and this one is raising money too. This is our little bit to say thank you very much to the NHS during this time. What would we do without it?”

The 79-year-old added: “People really do like it. They come here just to take photos beside it. Last week, a family came from Maidstone just to take photographs.”

Mr Purssord is hoping to give any donations collected from people visiting the Big Man to Sheppey Community Hospital, in Plover Road, Minster and so far has around £190.

“We’ve changed the big man about 12 times over the years, but everyone’s saying this is the best one,” Mr Purssord said.

“Lots of people are appreciating it and it does remind people what’s going on and what we should be thankful for.”

He added: “I’ve had the Big Man for about 10 years now. I think it came from a fairground in Southend, I paid £75 for it.

“He’s a bit of a tourist attraction now. London parents say to me: ‘We’re not in Leysdown until we’ve seen the Big Man’.

Peter Goodspeed, who paints the huge figure, said it is “surprisingly big”.

“When we had the top hat made for him and later the crown and jester’s hat, the circumference of his head was over two metres long,” he said.

14 images showing the Big Man's various incarnations

When asked the story behind the Big Man, Mr Goodspeed added: “He was brought over from Southend by Tom Dunne, of Merlin’s in Leysdown, to accompany a flight simulator here and was known then as The Spaceman or Yellow Man. He had no face at the time.

“He then was passed onto Dave, where he has resided as a local landmark ever since.”

A campaign was even launched, in 2010, to save the Leysdown Giant after Swale council received a complaint about it. That was when Mr Goodspeed got involved and Dave said he could paint the figure.

“The first design was a Leysdown holidaymaker, which seemed appropriate at the time, and the rest is history,” Mr Goodspeed said. “He has gained a huge following and become quite a local icon, with many chalet and caravan owners feeling they’ve arrived once they see him.

The tribute to the NHS has been shared widely on social media.

Mr Goodspeed said: “Dave’s son, Westley, helped prepare him and it has been hugely popular.

“There may be the magnificent Angel of the North, but we have The Man of the South.”

"I posted a picture of it on the Leysdown Chalet Services Facebook page and the post has reached close to 16,000 people – simply amazing.”

He added: “There may be the magnificent Angel of the North, but we have The Man of the South.”

Mr Goodspeed said it had been a pleasure to paint the Big Man.

“It’s pleasing to know children have found him very popular,” he added. “It’s become a common game to guess what he will be next. So what will he be next?”

Leysdown Parish Council supports the tribute. Donations can be made at the garden centre.

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