Tufty takes centre stage once again
BBC-TV's Antiques Roadshow visited Sherborne in Dorset last month. Robert Smith, Dorset's head of road safety lives there and took a day off to join the four hour long queue to have some pieces of art deco valued by the experts.

While in his loft locating the items he remembered some ‘Tufty’ puppets he rescued from the skip during an office re-organisation many years earlier. They were in a very moth eaten state but he took them along as an after thought, thinking the experts wouldn't be interested.

Don't you believe it!

They pounced on the puppets as soon as they came out of the bag, recognising them as Tufty characters - and asked whether they could film them for the show to be broadcast in early February next year. Robert duly obliged, spending an hour in the hot seat. He explained that his predecessors used them in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Tufty, Policeman Badger and Willy Weasel then found themselves under the spotlights and cameras.

In true RSO fashion (even on his day off!) Robert managed to use the TV opportunity to spread an appropriate message. He explained that animal fantasy characters such as squirrels, rabbits, hedgehogs and badgers are not the best role models to promote pedestrian safety as they are usually spotted squashed on the road - which is why our furry friends have been retired (at least in Dorset) for many years.

No mention was made about their value until the end of the filming sequence - all that we can say is that Robert was rather shocked!
To find out more, you'll need to tune in on 2 February to see whether the filmed piece is one of those chosen to broadcast. (About 50 items are filmed on the day but only half are actually broadcast).

If anyone can throw a bit more light on the puppets, Robert would like to hear from them. They have papier-mâché heads and felt material bodies. It is believed that several hundred sets were produced, based on a wire mould.

Robert can be contacted by e-mail at r.smith@dorsetcc.gov.uk