The wind or likely opposers?

That is the question being asked as to why a novel election hoarding of two Western Bay of Plenty District Council candidates did not survive its first 24 hours.

Western Bay Mayoralty contender Mark Boyle and Katikati-Waihi Beach ward candidate Norm Mayo had vinyl flags of their faces hung from the beam of a large forklift opposite the Fairview Rd and SH2 intersection on Wednesday night.

Election signage featuring two Western Bay of Plenty District Council candidates have been torn in the last 24 hours.

By yesterday morning the vinyl flag featuring Mark and his election slogan was left on the ground below.

Norm's flag was also torn and he is working to repair the large-scale signage.

Norm does not believe the canvas was purposely damaged or sabotaged by anyone. He understands the material used for the flags was not strong enough to withstand Wednesday night's winds.

'We got some vinyl ones from the Philippines, and they should have been canvas, so I've lowered the beam down. I'm at a mate's place and we're going to mount the new ones onto plywood and hang them up.

'I don't believe they were damaged by someone, as they were too high for that.”

Norm says it's unfortunate he didn't realise how vulnerable the vinyl was.

The crane holding the two signs of Western Bay candidates.

'We'd only installed them on Wednesday night.”

Norm came across the novel idea for the signs from a friend.

'My friends got this big forklift, it actually goes out 40feet – and he said ‘Man, wouldn't that be great if you could get a sign on the end of that', and it appealed to me,” says Norm.

'We got permission from the bloke who owns the paddock, and we only put out the beam halfway, but we didn't anticipate the material would be so weak, which is a shame but we'll fix it.”

'It's just a bit novel really – and we'll take it down on the last day [signs are] permitted.”

Asked if the sign caught people's attention, Norm says quite a few people have remarked about its effectiveness.

'There's a hell out of a lot of people driving past.

'We've got to be careful we don't disturb the traffic and cause trouble there, but I don't' think it will.”

Norm hopes the repaired signs will be re-mounted by tomorrow.

In Tauranga City, Mayoral candidate Kelvin Clout is running ‘neck and neck' with incumbent Stuart Crosby – literally.

Both candidates have secured large 6metre by 3metre billboards on the 15th Ave hill, and at the corner of Marsh and Chapel streets.

Kelvin says by sheer coincidence both Stuart and himself had secured adjacent billboard sites.

'Although costly this is an effective way of getting my messages across to the thousands of local residents who drive by each day,” says Kelvin.

Tauranga City Council Mayoral candidate Kelvin Clout and incumbent Stuart Crosby are neck in neck.