RESIDENTS and visitors to Swindon will be greeted by an unusual sight as they travel around the town this week after a political billboard with a difference arrived.

Anti-austerity campaigners have crowdfunded more than £1,500 to pay for the sign which displays an image of Prime Minister Theresa May’s face next to the words “I am a threat.”

The billboard, part of a national campaign by the People’s Assembly Against Austerity, carries messages about hospitals, education, living standards, jobs, pensions and security.

Rather than a opting for a static location, the organisers chose a mobile board which will be driven around Swindon and parked up at prominent locations for the remainder of the campaign. They hope it will generate conversations among voters ahead of polling day on Thursday.

Speaking at the unveiling on Monday morning, Kate Linnegar of the Swindon People’s Assembly said: “There are 40 of these billboards across the country. I’d shared information about them on our Facebook page and there was a lot of interest locally.

“At first I thought it would be too expensive for us so it was great to watch the total go up so quickly and for Swindon to be part of the campaign.

“It’s not just the People’s Assembly either, the fundraising page was shared by lots of other groups too.”

The billboard campaign doesn’t explicitly back a particular political party and at Monday’s launch there were members of Labour and the Liberal Democrats present.

“The message isn’t to vote for a specific party,” said Kate. “The message is to not vote for the return of this Conservative government and more austerity.”

Conservative candidate for South Swindon, Robert Buckland, said: “The real threat to our country is a Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell led coalition of chaos that will destroy our economy and impoverish our public services.

“Theresa May and the Conservatives will continue to help deliver a strong economy. that and a country that works for everyone”