Michael Thomas, 71, has installed a carved stone grotesque at one end of the roof at 12 Newtown taking the mickey out of Trowbridge Town Council leader Stewart Palmen.

He is seen peering down from the right-hand side of the former pizza takeaway shop that Mr Thomas is converting into a house of multiple occupancy.

Cllr Palmen seems to be enjoying being immortalised in stone, saying: “I was quite amused and couldn’t wait to share pictures of it. I am quite happy with it.

“I am taking it as a compliment, although I think he meant it to hack me off."

He also posted a message with photographs on local social media saying: “Seems a local builder still building without planning permission has put a bust of a handsome gentleman on the end of his project.”

In another post, he added: “Update on 12 Newtown where the builder is still building without planning permission, but building something different from what he initially intended has added an effigy of a handsome man! I wonder who that is meant to be?”

Locals have also commented on the likeness, with Robert Leat saying “He is currently running circles around the local council. Now he’s having a bit of banter. “Hats off to the guy. Great defiant attitude. I like it!”

Wiltshire Council has pledged to take legal action against Mr Thomas after he carried on working on the property in defiance of an enforcement notice asking him to stop.

Back in June, Mr Thomas, of Staverton, launched a one-man protest against Wiltshire Council planners saying he is willing to go to prison rather than comply with the enforcement notice.