A Salford council estate has been transformed by a local resident by replacing rude graffiti and plain street furniture with vibrant cartoon characters. Martin ‘Beeno’ Withers, now known to locals as the ‘Minion Man’, began his street art project by painting standard concrete bollards to resemble the yellow figures from the Despicable Me films.
The project quickly expanded to include a wider cast of characters along the pavement. Withers has painted the estate’s bollards to look like Batman, Frankenstein’s monster, Harry Potter, Superman, and Gru. One bollard was even painted as an NHS nurse wearing a face mask. To get the neighbourhood involved, he got local children to add their names on the backs of the posts.
Covering Vandalism
When offensive graffiti began appearing on green utility boxes across the estate, Withers shifted his focus to the larger surfaces. Using handmade cardboard stencils and spray paint, he covered the tags with colorful tributes to popular television shows, films, and cultural icons.
Credit: Secret Manchester
The previously vandalised boxes now feature detailed, bright scenes. One box shows Homer Simpson backing into a hedge, while another displays a large Charizard and Pikachu from Pokémon. Other utility boxes across the estate have been decorated with Tom and Jerry, the Mandalorian, crossed lightsabers, capybaras bathing, a landscape featuring Wall-E, and a portrait of Marilyn Monroe.
Local Support
The bright artwork has caught the attention of residents and daily commuters. Withers noted that people frequently stop their cars to speak with him while he sets up his cardboard stencils on the pavement. He recalled a moment when he was questioning why he was doing the project, and two minutes later an elderly man pulled over specifically to tell him that seeing the artwork brightens his day.
Credit: Secret Manchester
These roadside interactions have become a regular occurrence, with drivers occasionally waiting in a line of cars just to chat with ‘Minion Man’ about the painted boxes and bollards. Withers says his main goal is straightforward: he hopes the unexpected street art provides a mental lift for anyone walking past who might be having a difficult day.
