Calendar highlights city's derelict areas

HAYLE, England, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- A British man said a calendar he created from pictures of broken-down areas in his hometown has gained surprising popularity.

Geoffrey Holman, 53, said the Hayle, England, calendar, which includes pictures of an abandoned supermarket and a garage site that has fallen into disrepair, was meant as a parting shot against the Penwith District Council, which will be dissolved in April and replaced with the Cornwall unitary authority, The Daily Telegraph reported Thursday.

"For years I have been creating hell about the state of the town and the theft of sand from the harbor," Holman said. "The calendar started off as a bit of a joke and I printed 150 copies but I am already down to the last handful. It is a light-hearted thing which has snowballed."

The calendar, which pairs the pictures with often-sarcastic captions, has drawn criticism from some local officials.

"I am a bit disappointed. I sympathize with his frustrations but it doesn't help the town or business people," said Jeremy Joslin, chairman of Hayle Chamber of Commerce. "It is quite witty but it doesn't have a positive impact -- I would rather Geoff did something positive like join the town council."