Local Hero: How One Man and His Dog Saved Their Town from a Dangerous Lamppost

Local resident Carl Mills was walking his dog between Churchill Road and Froghall Road and was puzzled as to why his dog no longer favored his usual patch of grass. Something seemed strange to Carl about the lamppost.

Carl & Tess, safely at home

Last week, the lampposts on Froghall Road were updated from old sodium lights to modern LED lamps, and since then, Carl's dog has avoided the new light. Humans wouldn't notice this because we wear shoes, but Carl's dog, Tess, sensed the electricity in her paws when approaching the grass patch, causing her to stay away. Carl found Tess's behavior odd and consulted a friend, who also noticed a strong, acid-like smell. Clearly, something was amiss; the lamppost appeared very hot, prompting Carl to call the fire service, who cordoned off the area. They contacted the installation team and National Power to resolve the issue.

According to the National Power electrician, it was discovered that the neutral and live wires had been incorrectly connected, causing the ground around the lamppost to become live. It would have been easy for Carl to ignore his observations, but instead, his curiosity and quick thinking helped avoid a potential disaster. We regard Carl as a hero because someone might have touched the lamppost and received an electric shock, which could have proved fatal.

If you notice anything unusual or out of place, it might be a faulty piece of street furniture or a damaged underground cable, so be sure to contact the authorities.

Thank you, Carl, and well done from us all x

Local Hero: How One Man and His Dog Saved Their Town from a Dangerous Lamppost - last updated 05.2.25