Meet the Man Engine: The colossal mining puppet marching across the West

The UK's larged mechanical puppet ever built in Britain, Cornish Man Mining Engine, is unveilled in Tavistock to hundreds of people. Credit: Ben Birchall / PA

There's quite a sight to be seen in Tavistock today as the largest mechanical puppet ever constructed in the UK is currently strutting it's stuff across the West. >The 10-metre "man engine" has set off on a two-week journey starting at Tavistock and ending at the Geevor tin mine.

Cornish Man Mining Engine unveiled. Credit: Ben Birchall / PA

The puppet is three times taller than a double decker bus, but engineers behind the project have gone through great lengths to keep its appearance under wraps until now - even using a top-secret location for testing.>The unique project was commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape being added to the list of World Heritage Sites.

Credit: @TheManEngine

The part man, part machine is being accompanied by theatrical shows created by a team of more than a dozen ‘miners’ and ‘bal-maidens’. >They're helping animate the puppet into a giant miner during his travels.

Watch the puppet come to life:

The UK's largest mechanical puppet ever built in Britain. Credit: Ben Birchall / PA
Credit: ManEngine