72-Year-Old Leads Underpass Graffiti Clean-Up

John Edwards, a retired aerospace worker, has taken it upon himself to tackle graffiti plaguing the Crowmere underpass in Shrewsbury. He described the underpass as an intimidating space due to the widespread paint, including red St George's crosses and various tags.

Edwards, a familiar face in Shropshire for cleaning road signs, has already spent 13 hours initiating the clean-up. He was supported by a volunteer with a pressure-washing business. The duo plans to return to fully repaint the underpass, aiming to restore its appearance from when the road above, Bage Way, was opened in 1989.

A local business, Paintwell, has sponsored the initiative by providing three large buckets of specialist masonry paint. Edwards acknowledged the challenge of graffiti reappearing but is committed to repainting as needed. He finds the work deeply satisfying and hopes his efforts will inspire similar projects elsewhere. His background in the aerospace industry has equipped him with useful skills for 'fixing things,' providing a sense of purpose in his early seventies.