Villagers are hunting festive pranksters who have turned a statue of its most famous son into the cartoon character Pinocchio.

The 15ft-high memorial to Lord John Scott, who died in 1860, is a Christmas target for jokers in Dunchurch.

Pictures show the monument dressed in a pair of colossal red dungarees and a huge paper mache head with a foot-long nose resembling Geppetto's wooden puppet.

Pinocchio's tiny companion and moral mentor Jiminy Cricket also features flying down on his small red umbrella.

Previously the statue has been turned into Harry Potter, Shrek, Happy Feet, Pikachu, Homer Simpson, an Olympic athlete and The Grinch in an annual tradition dating back to the 1970s.

In 2019 the statue was turned into Frozen's favourite snowman Olaf, while last year it was transformed into Peppa Pig.

But this year the secret group has dressed the statue up in the centre of the village as the story book character Pinocchio.

Underneath the stringed wooden puppet, a sign reads: "Pinocchio, when you wish upon a Christmas star, your dreams come true."

(Image via SWNS)

The statue is usually transformed by the pranksters into a topical or political statue during the dead of night in December.

Social media users presumed the connection with this year's giant wooden puppet was the new Pinocchio film released in September 2022.

Writing on Twitter, Neal Barford said: "The secret elves have been at the statue in Dunchurch again.

"The only reason I can think of behind the Pinocchio theme is the new film that has just come out.

On Facebook, Rob Collings joked: "Great job Dunchurch elves.

"I think they do it for nothing – no strings attached."

The statue without its festive outfit change (Image via SWNS)

Sue Harding on Twitter said: "Seems we all need to be wishing on a star at the moment!"

Neal Barford said: "The secret elves have been at the statue in Dunchurch again."

Rachel Roberts on Facebook said: "Fantastic, love Jiminy Cricket."

Bridal Par Helene, a bridal shop in the village posted: "Round the corner from us in beautiful Dunchurch... the annual Christmas Statue has arrived!

"Still the best kept secret in Rugby."

The statue commemorates the Lord, who was a Grenadier Guards officer, a Scottish MP and a landlord, who died aged 51 in 1860.

His family, the Buccleuchs, are still one of the largest private landowners in Europe with extensive holdings in Scotland.

Previously the statue has been turned into Harry Potter, Shrek, Happy Feet, Pikachu, Homer Simpson, an Olympic athlete, The Grinch, and Peppa Pig! (image via SWNS)