Sat-nav horror! Village name can be spelt 26 different ways
A VILLAGE causes havoc for visitors as there are at least 26 different spellings for its name.
If you follow a satnav to locate Trellech in South Wales, along the way, you might spot signs for Treleck, Trelleck or Trelech, all versions of the word meaning Three Stones.
There are five common spellings but old maps have more for the place with a population of 2,500, 25 miles from Newport.
Villager Stephanie Poulter, 72, blames sat-navs, Google Maps, Royal Mail and the Met Office for using the the unofficial spelling of Trelleck.
“No wonder people get lost,” the horse breeder said. “It really is very confusing to an outsider.” But she admitted villagers enjoy adding to the mayhem. “We sign off our letters with whatever spelling we want. It’s fun.”
Her husband Alan, 73, added: “A tea towel on sale proffers 22 options, including Treleeck and Trillet. A local book, Trellech 2000, suggests 23. There may even be over 30. Who knows?”
Dr Simon Horobin, English language professor at Oxford University, said Trellech “is a small place with less need for a fixed official form”.
The 25 variations are: Trylec, Tryleg, Trylleck, Trelec, Trelech, Treleeck, Trelegg, Trelleg, Trellegg, Trellick, Trilec, Trileec, Trilegh, Trillec, Trilleck, Trillegh, Trillek, Trelleck, Tryled, Trilet, Treleck, Tryleghor, Trylec Bechan, Trilecc, Trillet.