Express & Star

Busker draws in the crowds in Wolverhampton city centre

Crowds of shoppers gathered in the high street to watch a recorder-playing puppet busker.

Published

Onlookers could not take their eyes off self-titled Jolly Rotten, the creation of busker Berni 'Up Your Street' Wilson, who has taken his act across Europe.

The puppet, based on former Sex Pistol frontman Johnny Rotten, attracted the attention of scores of shoppers while based near to the Boots shop in Dudley Street, Wolverhampton, yesterday.

As part of his act, Mr Wilson sits inside a modified rucksack and places Jolly on his knee before the puppet plays the recorder and jokes with passers-by.

Mr Wilson said: "I'm in Wolverhampton for a week or so, so if people want to come down and see the act, then they should.

"People seem to have been enjoying it. It's a bit different.

"I'm looking for a new place to come to regularly and the Midlands might be what I'm looking for.

"You don't make a lot of money busking but I'm not complaining. I do enough to get by."

Mr Wilson, who is from Bedford but lives in Avila, Spain, has been busking for 10 years. He gave up his job as a train driver in Sunderland in 1992 to become a full-time busker.

He added: "I found train driving boring and I wanted to do more with my life. I have been all over the place; France, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, Belgium. I really enjoy it."

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