The bollards were installed in the Buckinghamshire parish of Iver earlier this year, with Buckinghamshire CC saying they were requested by the parish council to warn drivers they are approaching crossings used by school children.

There are now eight of the child-shaped bollards outside four primary schools in Iver and Iver Heath, which Iver Parish Council said had cost £5,395, excluding installation.

But two of the bollards have since been recently dug up and re-positioned by the authority.

A spokesperson for the council said: “At the request of a local resident we have recently rotated the bollards so they are facing into traffic.”

In September, local resident Jonny Baker said the bollards were “creepy and hideous”.

“I look out of my window every morning and these are what I see. They’re absolutely terrifying,” he said.