- Local rugby team removed a bathtub left atop Pen y Fan in Wales' national park
- Influencer Tom Christopher admitted leaving the tub for a video shoot and apologized
- The bathtub sparked outrage for littering in a protected and iconic natural area
A local rugby team has been praised for removing a bathtub from the top of Pen y Fan in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales, following outrage over an influencer who allegedly dumped it there to film content, Metro.UK reported. The white bathtub appeared near the 2,907ft peak of Pen y Fan earlier this month. Photos of it went viral after hikers spotted it perched on the rocky summit, alongside empty crates and other props.
The stunt was done by influencer Tom Christopher, who later admitted that he left the bath on the mountain for a video.
As quoted by the media outlet, Christopher claimed that the tub was part of a planned shoot and he intended to remove it.
But walkers said the bath had been left for days, sparking anger over littering in one of Wales' most iconic and protected landscapes.
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Rugby team steps in
Before National Park rangers could organise a full recovery, members of a local rugby club decided to act. The players hiked to the summit, then spent several hours manhandling the heavy ceramic tub down.
"Fantastic day for senior academy supporting the national trust at Pen y Fan with some invaluable work experience and teamwork essential," Cardiff Rugby Academy's social media page said.
"Also, the group had the pleasure of carrying a bath from the top down."
"Who would leave a bath up there?! #mindless."
The incident has reignited debate about influencers staging stunts in natural beauty spots. Social media users called the dump "selfish" and "disrespectful".
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Christopher later apologised. As quoted in the report, he said, "I knew that night I should've taken it down, and I am sorry. It was my fault and my mistake; I have definitely learned my lesson not to do it again."
"The honest truth was I thought I'd leave it there for 48 hours and then take it back down. I should have left a note on the bath explaining that really," he added.
"My intention wasn't to leave it up there, I really was planning on taking it back down, but the amount of people that were messaging me was insane."
"I received about 40 photos from strangers showing them using the bath and loving it. Social media is always hard - one minute there is lots of love, the next you are berated for being 'lazy' and a 'fly-tipper'."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)
