Junior doctors strike: Toy soldiers deployed to John Radcliffe Hospital

Athirty4's "Pink Army" was deployed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford

A street artist has placed hundreds of pink toy soldiers around a hospital to show support for striking junior doctors.

Athirty4's "Pink Army" was deployed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford on Thursday.

The British Medical Association (BMA) is calling for junior doctors to be given a 35% pay rise, to make up for years of below-inflation increases.

The government has said the union's pay demands are unreasonable.

Hundreds of pink toy soldiers were placed around the hospital

Athirty4 said the soldiers were "sending messages of love and positivity towards the NHS workers"

Athirty4, who prefers to remain anonymous, told the BBC: "I chose pink because it's a friendly colour, and the soldiers are there at the hospital sending messages of love and positivity towards the NHS workers.

"And it's we, the members of the public, who the soldiers represent. We are the soft power, the true guardians of the NHS."

Describing how he installed the soldiers, he said: "I just walked around in my fake-fur Russian hat and did what I always do: behave as though there is nobody around me."

The artist admits he was "looked at strangely" as he placed the soldiers around the building

Athirty4 chose pink because it is a "friendly colour"

He added: "I did notice one or two people looking at me strangely as I was in the process of photographing tiny pink toy soldiers.

"I suspect it's not a thing you see somebody doing very often in a hospital.

"And one female nurse, who walked past one of the soldiers, said to her colleague, 'Oh, look at that toy soldier; he's got a tiny heart on his back. How sweet.'

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust declined to comment on the art

The trust says it respects the right of staff to take part in the strike

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust declined to comment on the art.

But in a statement about the industrial action, chief operating officer Sara Randall said: "We recognise and respect the right of our staff to take part in lawful industrial action, and have been working with our staff and union partners to ensure the safety of our patients, and the wellbeing of our staff.

"We have plans in place to deal with changes to our services in the event of industrial action.

"As always, our priority is to continue to provide safe care for our patients, and anyone with a rescheduled appointment will be rebooked in for the soonest time possible."

The BMA is calling for junior doctors to be given a pay rise to make up for years of below-inflation increases

The government has said the union's pay demands are unreasonable

Athirty4's previous stunts have included street art on black canvases ahead of Black Friday, and litter bins full of rubbish made out of plaster of Paris to protest litter pollution.

One nurse was quoted as saying: "Oh, look at that toy soldier; he's got a tiny heart on his back. How sweet."

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