Man pays tribute to Stephen Hawking by drawing picture of professor on back of muddy delivery van

'I don’t always get the opportunity to pay a tribute and so I wanted to show my respects in the only way I can', says Ricky Minns

The technique includes spraying a secret recipe onto the van and is weather dependent (SWNS)

A white van man has paid tribute to the late professor Stephen Hawking by drawing a picture of him on the back of his muddy flower delivery vehicle.

Ricky Minns, 42, who goes by the name Ruddy Muddy, spruces up vans in need of a wash by drawing works of art with his fingers. And after hearing of the death of one of the world’s most famous physicists yesterday morning, he decided to immortalise Hawking in the unique style.

Mr Minns also made reference to the strange coincidence that yesterday was the anniversary of Albert Einstein’s birth and Pi Day, which honours the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, bringing yet another scientific link to the professor’s life.

Physics graduate Mr Minns drew the scientific greats side-by-side on his van, writing their names and “born today 14.3.1879, died today 2018”.

Ricky Minns said his technique has evolved over the years (SWNS) (Ruddy Muddy / SWNS.com)

Mr Minns said: “Such sad news. Both heroes of mine since before I studied physics.”

Other recognisable designs by Mr Minns include those of Prince Harry, Leonardo Di Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Prime Minster Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Mr Minns has also drawn pieces of other late celebrities including Bruce Forsyth and comedian Ken Dodd earlier this week.

He said: “I don’t always get the opportunity to pay a tribute and so I wanted to show my respects in the only way I can.”

Mr Minns, who is a delivery driver for a flower company, started drawing on vans 11 years ago to stop his children seeing rude words which had been etched in the dirt.

He said: “It’s quite funny really, it was all because I didn’t want my kids to see the filth that people scribble on vans with their fingers.

“I started to go over people’s rude messages with my fingers, first I just drew mountains and things and then I got a bit more artistic each time.”

“I’m most inspired by people who do amazing things, I feel inspired to draw things when people who I admire pass on.”

Mr Minns said that he chose to keep his initials R and M when choosing the name Ruddy Muddy and that he signs off with this and his employer’s name on every piece.

His technique has evolved over the years and he now sprays a secret mud recipe onto vans, but still finds his work weather dependant.

He said: “The rain sort of adds a novelty to it in some ways, but my work lasts through the wet until the van is actually washed.

“I actually spray the mud on with one of those garden pump things, but I can’t tell you my secret recipe of the mud itself.

“Let’s just say I throw a few things together – I use a paintbrush now too.”

Mr Minns work has travelled from his hometown in Norwich, Norfolk, where he works for Flower Vision, all across the country.

SWNS