Huge 14-foot dinosaur roams the streets of a Northants village to help raise spirits during lockdown

A massive dinosaur roamed the streets of a Northamptonshire village over the weekend to help keep spirits high during the coronavirus lockdown.

Reggie the Rex, also known as local resident Darren Smith dressed in a four and a half metre dinosaur costume, walked around Boughton on Friday evening (April 3).

The 47-year-old saw that people in neighbourhoods across Northampton were dressing up as superheroes and spreading joy on their one exercise a day, so he decided he could do something similar.

Darren said: “I had this thing sitting in my garage that doesn’t get a whole lot of use so I thought I could take it out around the village.

“There were loads of people hanging out their windows and waving - it was brilliant.”

While roaming the village, Darren saw and waved at a lot of children, brightening up their lockdown.

The dinosaur costume, that can roar and blink, sits on Darren’s shoulders and he has to steer it like a bicycle.

He added: “I walked around in it for an hour. It was really hot in there. I was shattered and in bits at the end, but I was alright by the next day.

“We had a great response from people on Facebook asking me to come here there and everywhere.

“But I can’t really do it because I need a van to move it and I don’t really think that’s essential travel.

“Maybe if the restrictions change I might be able to go and do it in other areas.”

Are you, or anyone you know also bringing joy to others during the lockdown? If so, let us know.

Email [email protected] or message the Northampton Chronicle Facebook page.

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