"Larkin with Toads"

Why should I let the toad work
Squat on my life?
Can't I use my wit as a pitchfork
And drive the brute off?

From "Toads" by Philip Larkin, 1954

Part of Hull's Philip Larkin celebrations this year is a public art event called "Larkin with Toads". Giant decorated toads have been placed around the city.

This one, called "Space Hopper", is outside the Railway Station (now called Hull Paragon Interchange). Unfortunately a number of the toads have been vandalised so when I took this photograph the young man leaning over it was patching it up in situ.

As we walked round finding others we bumped into families with the map provided who were also on the trail. It was good to see that the toads were magnets for photographs.