W is for Wimbledon Waste Operatives

Bit of a box-ticker, but also a personal favourite, for reasons of pure nostalgia...my brother and I had these in a Christmas stocking the best part of a lifetime ago!

Sort of Pencil-tops -which is how they are sold on EvilBay - but too heavy, and sort of Cake decorations, but a bit big, they were on our 'ornament' shelf in the bedroom for what seemed like years, but was only that short period between infant-hood and late childhood! I think (although clearly marked Hong Kong) these may have been another Combex item in counter-display boxes? But I'm not sure enough to put that in the tag list!

I've picked up two lots of these in the last few years, and these are the better quality five. There are seven characters in a 'complete' set and I'm hoping that with the ones in storage I may have them all now...but they do turn-up regularly! They suffer from paint loss through handling/rubbing, particularly on the end of the nose, and occasionaly missing nose-tips..ouch!

I actually met Liza Beresford (The Wombles author) a few times, we used to rent a field off her, which we filled with chickens (maybe onions the first year?), and she would occasionally chat over the wall and take the proffered eggs!

Ear-worm..."Underground, overground, wombleing freeeee...The Wombles of...Wimbledon...Common are we!..."