A pillar of the community made a stand in Bedford town centre on Wednesday, to protest against proposals to privatise the Royal Mail.
The 20-foot-high inflatable red pillar box was accompanied by members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) trade union, who asked Bedfordians to add their signatures to a petition.
Paul Moffat, CWU Eastern regional secretary, said: "The people of Bedford and Bedfordshire deserve a first class postal service. Privatising Royal Mail would undermine the public service we all enjoy and leave us with a second class service.
"Royal Mail is a successful business which makes a million pounds every day. Privatising it just doesn't make sense."
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