Teamwork Trust day centre users name street sweeper Basil Brush

The street sweeper visited Teamwork Trust so service users could see the new name

Users of day centres for people with learning disabilities have chosen a name for a council street sweeper.

Service users of Teamwork Trust, which runs three centres in Northamptonshire, chose the name Basil Brush.

The name beat Sooty and Sweepy McSweepface to become the most popular choice.

Service users have had a visit from Basil Brush to see the results of their efforts.

Service users at centres in Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough chose the new name

Teamwork Trust runs centres for adults with learning disabilities, autism or mild mental health issues.

During a recent litter-picking campaign, the North Northamptonshire Council waste team visited Teamwork Trust's centre in Kettering and took a street sweeper with them.

They gave the service users an opportunity to pick a name for the vehicle, following the trend set by initiatives such as the notorious Boaty McBoatface competition.

Users across the three centres had a go at coming up with a suitable moniker, and a shortlist of three names was compiled - Basil Brush, Sooty and Sweepy McSweepface.

The puppet fox's name, originally suggested by a service user named Jonathan, emerged as the winner.

Oliver Healey, the centre leader at Teamwork Trust in Kettering, said: "Our service users often have to overcome barriers when they engage with the community, and this project helps connect them to their local community.

"They really enjoy seeing the street sweeper in the street and they also like being a bit famous after choosing the name and seeing the Teamwork logo on the side of the vehicle."

Basil Brush and his "boom boom" catchphrase first appeared in 1962

Basil Brush was created by Peter Firmin and his distinctive voice was provided initially by the actor Ivan Owen.

The fox's first television show ran from 1968 to 1980 and the character was revived with a new voice in 2000.