'Grammar vigilante' corrects signs at night

A self-confessed "grammar vigilante" has been secretly correcting bad punctuation on street signs for more than a decade.

The anonymous crusader has even invented a special long-handled tool to help him carry out his work.

The tool, known as the 'Apostrophiser', helps him reach the highest signs.

Correcting rogue apostrophes is his speciality, and he uses stickers rather than paint to cover up the errors.

A rogue apostrophe the 'grammar vigilante' just had to correct. Credit: BBC News/PA Wire

"I do think it is a cause worth pursuing. I have felt extremely nervous and the heart has been thumping," he told the BBC.

Most of his work has been done around Bristol - but he maintains that he has not committed any crime.

"It's more of a crime to have the apostrophes wrong in the first place," he said.

The sign as it should look - with a sticker covering the apostrophe. Credit: BBC News/PA Wire

The vigilante, who works in engineering, uses sticky-backed plastic to cover up the errors.

"The first one I did was way back in 2003. It was a council sign, 'open Monday's to Friday's', and it had these ridiculous apostrophes.

"There was the really gross sign in Gloucester Road, 'Amy's nail's' - it was just so loud and in our face.

"I just couldn't abide it and had to go and apply my wares to this apostrophe.

"It grates. I'm a grammar vigilante."

He defended his actions, saying: "What I'm doing is sticking on a bit of sticky-backed plastic.

"It is a worse crime to have all these errant apostrophes on shops and garages, and I just think it is going to teach the youth of tomorrow the wrong grammar."

  • 'The Apostrophiser' is on BBC Radio Four at 8pm tonight