Face mask placed on town’s Tommy Cooper statue

We may still be in lockdown (officially), but Tommy Cooper is still managing to put a smile on people’s masked faces.

The statue honouring the Caerphilly-born magician and comic has had a face mask placed on it – referencing the current coronavirus pandemic that has cast a shadow across the country.

The statue was unveiled in 2008 after years of fundraising efforts by the Tommy Cooper Society.

Tudor Jones, chairman of the society, said: “It is terrific. It shows Tommy is doing his stuff to bring a smile in this dismal time.”

He added: “It’s keeping in a tradition that started not long after he was unveiled by Sir Anthony Hopkins, when someone put a traffic cone on his head.

“He’s also had a red nose for Comic Relief.”

Cooper was born in Caerphilly in 1921 but spent much of his youth living in Devon.

He went on to become one of the UK’s best-known entertainers during the height of his fame.

The much-loved comic died of a heart attack on stage in London in 1984, with many in the audience initially believing it was part of his act.

The Tommy Cooper Society, whose patron is Sir Anthony Hopkins, launched its Tommy’s Ticker campaign in 2014 to mark the 30th anniversary of his death. Each defibrillator costs around £1,500.

The society has since raised funds for and installed 13 heart defibrillators in the Caerphilly area.