The mighTy miner

THE largest mechanical puppet ever built in Britain was unveiled yesterday.

Crowds flocked to Tavistock in Devon to see the Cornish Man Mining Engine, which stands over 30ft tall.

The impressive structure – built in tribute to the region’s mining past – is manipulated by operators pulling ropes.

The puppet’s rocking neck is built to resemble a giant beam engine, while its shoulders look like components of mining equipment. The hands are designed to mimic 20th century excavators.

The structure marks the 10th anniversary of the Cornwall and West Devon mining landscape being added to the Unesco list of World Heritage Sites.

It will now undertake an epic 130-mile journey across the entire length of the site from Tavistock to Pendeen in Cornwall.