Hitchin man is internet sensation with movie themed obstacle course - for squirrels

Anglia
Hertfordshire
Wednesday 3 February 2016 at 1:43pm

Nutalie Portman in action Credit: Steve Barley

Teacher Steve Barley from Hitchin has set up a movie-themed obstacle course for squirrels in his back garden and filmed the results.

Now a video of one squirrel tackling the Hollywood-inspired challenge is fast becoming an internet sensation.

The course, featuring home-made scenes with Jaws, Indiana Jones and The Great Escape, is based on a washing line in Steve's Hertfordshire garden.

Steve began making the courses out of everyday bric-a-brac hanging off his washing line after he noticed squirrels were eating from his supposedly squirrel-proof bird feeder.

The obstacle course Credit: Steve Barley

Nutalie Portman makes it to the nuts Credit: Steve Barley

Originally these agile little creatures had to overcome old ironing boards, garden trellis, sink plungers and bits of disused wood to reach their breakfast, but then I decided it would be fun to theme the courses. "My latest is based around the movies, with scenes from Jaws, Titanic, The Great Escape and it even stars a beautiful black squirrel I've named 'Nutalie Portman'!" "I've had quite a few people in America who seem to like my British accent and the eccentricity of the whole thing, although truthfully, the real stars are the squirrels. "After watching one of my videos a friend told me 'you're turning into some sort of Squirrel Man of Hitchin', so I thought, why not and now that's my moniker online. "My pupils at school think I'm bonkers but they adore the videos and I've even had the odd parent come up at parents' evening asking if I'm that 'squirrel man' on YouTube, and wanting to know when I'm going to do another one?!'