McGurkinshaws set for the Olympics

Murray and Jenny Whitlock (left) bid farewell to Archibald and Arabella McGurkinshaw (right) who are dressed up to head to the Olympics. Photo/Stuart Munro

Archibald and Arabella McGurkinshaw are ready to head off to the Rio Olympics - although they may not get far, considering they're stuck firmly in a Whanganui East flowerbed.

The scarecrow couple have stood on Murray and Jenny Whitlock's front lawn in Raine St for the last several years, delighting nearby schoolchildren with their ever changing costumes.

"Last year they were singing in the rain when the floods came up," Mr Whitlock said.

"Then they become the mopper-uppers."

The Whitlocks dressed up the scarecrows for the Rugby World Cup as well, and now they're dressed up for the Olympics.

Mr Whitlock said before they lived in Raine St they had the scarecrows for at least 20 years while they lived in Benefield St.

When asked why they first got the scarecrows and started dressing them up, Mrs Whitlock said it "seemed like a good idea at the time".

They change the costumes every two or three months, and keep an album of all the different looks.