Doncaster has spoken. Two road gritters have been named Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney and David Plowie after a local poll sparked a flurry of pun-filled suggestions.
Doncaster Council asked residents to name the vehicles earlier this month, with the condition that they be clean and original.
‘We’d prefer not to spend the next few days trawling through responses of Gritty McGritface and Gary Gritter,’ the council wrote on Twitter.
Doncaster Council asked residents to name the vehicles (pictured) earlier this month, with the condition that they be clean and original
And residents of the South Yorkshire town did not disappoint, with suggestions including Spready Mercury, Basil Salty, Grit Van Dyke, True Grit, Rule Grittania, Salt Disney and Gritney Houston.
Even singer Curtis Stigers chipped in with Grit Balls o’Fire.
The top 16 names were then voted on in a Twitter poll with the hashtag #DoncasterGrittingWorldCup.
These were then shortlisted to Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney and Spready Mercury and Basil Salty and David Plowie.
The council then broadcast a live draw on its Twitter page, using numbered ping pong balls in a bowl, before putting the final two pairs to the vote.
In the end, Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney beat Spready Mercury with 53 per cent while David Plowie beat Basil Salty with 58 per cent.
Writing on the social network on Friday morning, the authority said it was ‘delighted’ with the result.
‘We are DELIGHTED to be able to confirm what our new gritters will be called, following the final!’ the council said.
‘They will be called: Gritsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney And David Plowie.’
The new gritters will now join the council’s fleet of eclectically-named vehicles, Brad Grit, Gritney Spears, The Subzero Hero, Mr Plow and Usain Salt.
Deputy mayor Glyn Jones commented: ‘It’s amazing that so many people got involved.
‘The suggestions are brilliant. We look forward to David Plowie keeping our roads safe this winter.’
Last year, the British public voted in favour of ‘Boaty McBoatface’ in a poll to name a new polar research ship. But the British government chose instead to name the vessel ‘Sir David Attenborough’.
Earlier this week, Sydney’s latest harbour boat was christened Ferry McFerryface, a decision which has caused outrage among staff with many refusing to work on the boat.
The Australian public had been asked to help name six new Sydney ferries, and although Ferry McFerryface lost out to ‘Boaty McBoatface’, this had already been picked in Britain for a polar research ship last year.
Ferry McFerryface joins the ranks of Trainy McTrainface, a Swedish express train, and Horsey McHorseface, a Sydney racehorse, after a trend started by a suggestion from a former BBC radio host.
Horsey McHorseface has its own Twitter account and has also become a cult hit, after breaking through for his first win in Sydney in June.