Pranksters have dressed up a sculpture into an iconic moment from the Steven Spielberg movie ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’.

The artwork, named First Ride, is situated outside the Fitton Center for Creative Arts in the city of Hamilton, Ohio, USA.

Last year, the sculpture was targeted by a joker who turned it into a scene from the horror movie ‘It’, based on author Steven King’s 1986 novel of the same name.

It’s understood that the same pranksters have struck again this year.

In the 1982 blockbuster, Eliot is seen placing E.T. in a crate fixed to the handlebars of his bike before he races to the spot where the alien can famously “phone home”.

Despite apparently ‘targeting’ the sculpture again, Fitton Center officials said they are not in any way upset with the creative pranksters.

Instead, they admitted they are “amazed” by their sheer nerve and would like them to come forwards to take credit.

One Fitton Center official said he even nearly swerved off the road when he first realised what it was.

Executive director Ian MacKenzie-Thurley said: “This is amazing. When I was driving into work this morning I noticed the red jacket and thought ‘that’s nice, somebody put a raincoat on the rider’. But when I got closer and saw the whole thing, I almost swerved off the road.”

In the mock scene, the father in the sculpture is seen dressed in a hazardous materials suit, representing the government agents who discover E.T. and lockdown Eliot’s family home.

MacKenzie-Thurley said: “Honestly, I wish we had thought of this ourselves. This is so, so good. Just wonderful.”

The identity of the pranksters remains a mystery and the Center director said: “We love that people are interacting with the sculpture, it obviously resonates with them. And they are having a good time, adding to the community conversation.

“We’d like to thank whoever did it in person, but as long as there’s no damage to the piece and they want to remain anonymous we’re happy to just enjoy their work.”

He added: “It’s good fun!”

First Ride is part of Hamilton’s City of Sculpture collection and is visible from the street.

ENDS

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