VIDEO: No, you're not seeing things, that really is a gnome in a Cherries kit (From Bournemouth Echo)

Poole man Nathan Bush painting gnomes in football strips

11:00am Tuesday 15th January 2013 in News By Steven Smith

FOOTBALL fans can follow their teams ‘Gnome and Away’ thanks to a Poole man.

That’s what 38-year-old Nathan Bush, from Creekmoor, has called his sideline of painting gnomes in football strips.

And the hobby has proved popular, as Nathan has produced around 45 gnomes in a variety of kits, including AFC Bournemouth, Southampton and Poole Town, and has sold most of them.

Nathan, an admin assistant, spends his spare time painting the figures.

He said: “It came about when I saw some in a shop and they were painted just all one colour and they looked like they had been done in a few minutes.

“I thought I could do something quite special with them, so I decided that was what I was going to do.

“I started painting them as a hobby and the first one was a Southampton one, which I gave to my parents.

“People saw that and wanted them, so I’ve done more and more since.”

Nathan – who currently has 200 blank gnomes in his loft ready to paint – said each gnome took about six or seven hours to paint.

He added: “They’re varnished so they’re protected from the weather. I can do any kit.

“A lot of people like the old retro kits as well. They like it because it’s personalised and they can have their own name on the back, or a favourite player.

“I always enjoyed art at school and I wanted to be a footballer. I was professional for a year at Yeovil Town, but it didn’t get renewed.

“I have mixed my love of art and football together and it’s worked really well, people really like them.

“I’m never going to make enough money to see any impact, but the reason I do it is I find it quite therapeutic sitting down doing them and it’s nice to see people’s faces when I give it to them.”

• Nathan will be at Wimborne Market on Sunday and he can be contacted on ourashley@hotmail.co.uk.