Ian goes international on 50th Smurfday tour (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Ian goes international on 50th Smurfday tour

10:20am Friday 17th October 2008

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THEY are instantly recognisable blue-faced little creatures that are used to living in mushroom huts deep in the forest.

But this year, one of The Smurfs was snapped at some of the world’s most famous landmarks – thanks to one north Hampshire joker.

Ian Tomkins smurfed his way around the world this summer to promote a costume for the fancy dress company he works for.

Mr Tomkins, of Coppice Road, Kingsclere, donned the white dungarees, the famous blue “skin” and essential white hat to pose in front of landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, in Paris, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, in Nev-ada, and the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum, in Rome.

The former BCOT student even visited the Comic Strip Centre, in Brussels, to see an exhibition dedicated to the blue-skinned creatures to celebrate their 50th birthday.

The Smurfs were created by Belgian cartoon-ist Peyo, and American producers Hanna-Barbera later turned the comic into an animated television series, which was seen in the UK and featured characters such as Papa Smurf, Smurfette and The Smurfs’ enemy, the evil wizard Gargamel.

Mr Tomkins said his outfit attracted a fair few funny looks from passers-by.

The 25-year-old added: “The worst part was putting the costume on, but once you got it on and stood by the landmarks, it was fine.

“In Belgium, someone shouted something at me, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying, and in Paris some people called me a Schtroumpf, which is the European name for a Smurf.”

The idea for the publicity stunt came from Mark Lewis, managing director of Jokers’ Masquerade, in Newbury, where Mr Tomkins works as a data controller.

He came up with the idea after seeing hit French film Amelie, in which a garden gnome is kidnapped and snapped in front of famous landmarks around the world, before being returned to its owner.

Mr Tomkins added: “I thought it was a great idea. I was going to see some countries that I had never been to before and all I had to do was wear the costume.

“But it was one thing to suggest the idea, and another to stand in front of these famous monuments wearing it.”

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