Bradford Council announced the 'iWalkers' scheme this week but due to public backlash it has been forced to delete a Facebook post detailing its plans.
The bizarre move saw staff and volunteers pound the streets of Bradford, Yorkshire, with TVs, which weigh 18lbs and have a 19inch screen, hoisted on their shoulders.
Bradford Council announced the 'iWalkers' scheme this week but due to public backlash it has been forced to delete a Facebook post detailing its plans.
The scheme, which saw the TVs showing coronavirus rules, was announced via Facebook on Tuesday, but officials deleted the post just two days later.
The council claimed comments 'crossed the line into abuse of people who are working hard to help residents and workers in Bradford District stay safe and stop the spread of the virus'.
The authority has defended the move claiming the scheme has been 'well received generally by members of the public'.
Pictures show a man using a backpack to lift a monitor roughly one-foot above his shoulders.
It revealed the scheme had been funded by the Government and two 'iWalkers' hit the streets for two days.
Locals were left stunned by the initiative and slammed the authority for frittering away taxpayers' cash.
One said: 'I'm sure a fancy-dress cyborg is what we need to really fight back against Covid. Good way to test your eyesight as well.'
Another added: 'An etch-a-sketch on a piece of string would have been cheaper. Does the droid speak?
'If so, I hope it is fluent in over 6 million forms of communication?!'
One wrote : 'Thought Bradford Council were skint.
'How the hell can they justify a council tax increase in April when they've money to waste on this sort of b******s?'
A council spokesman said: 'They are a very effective way of attracting people's attention and had proved a very positive way of engaging with residents when used previously.
They said that the iWalkers are 'working for two days' engaging with the public.
They added that they're speaking to 'people who are out and about who may not know about the new national lockdown or the fast tests that are now available'.
They said: 'The iWalkers are just one of many other channels being used to inform residents of the current lockdown.
'The cost has been met from the Government funding for Covid-19 communications.
'There are still many key workers in the city who may wish to get some information on testing where testing sites are close by and it's really important that we have people out on the streets who can provide this.'
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