Giant H'Angus the Monkey inflatable appears in Hartlepool ahead of big Pools match

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A giant inflatable of Pools mascot H-Angus the Monkey – the latest in a series to mysteriously appear across town this year – was briefly on display inside the town’s National Museum of the Royal Navy.

It appeared on Thursday night in the build up to the club's vital National League play-off semi-final game at Stockport County on Sunday.

Victory would leave Pools just 90 minutes away from a return to the Football League after a four-year absence.

The inflatable appeared on Thursday evening./Photo: Gerald Oliver

Museum staff have told the Mail that H’Angus was there for a photoshoot on Thursday evening.

Like a true celebrity, his appearance was brief – and H’Angus was sadly no longer on site by Friday morning.

The inflatable is among 20 expected to appear in both Hartlepool and across the North East courtesy of a secretive group known as The Wombles of Hartlepool

Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor nervous ahead of play-off semi-final at...

H'Angus standing tall outside the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hartlepool./Photo: Gerald Oliver

Days before Hartlepool headed to the polls to select a new MP last month, Poolies were treated by the group to a 30ft tall inflatable balloon of Boris Johnson at the end of a pier overlooking the Marina.

The Prime Minister’s inflatable doppelganger caused a stir when it made another appearance outside the town’s Mill House Leisure Centre while the recent Parliamentary by-election count was taking place inside.

Mr Johnson himself was also pictured in front of the inflatable later the same day when he visited Hartlepool to congratulate Conservative candidate Jill Mortimer on her victory in the poll.

A member of The Wombles of Hartlepool, who will only say they are aged between 29 and 69, said back in April: “The Boris Johnson inflatable was bought originally to signify the opening up of lockdown.

H'Angus's appearance comes in the build up to an important game for pools on Sunday./Photo: Gerald Oliver

"It was ordered and delivered before the by-election was announced.

"We’ve got about 20 of these characters and we will be putting them up in Hartlepool and around the North East to showcase the area in a good light.”

The National League play-off semi-final game will take place at Stockport County on Sunday, June 13, at noon.

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