Tribute to Dahl goes up brick by brick

A CHARLIE Bucket made out of Lego has been unveiled in Manchester to celebrate Roald Dahl Day.

The statue is one of six favourite Dahl characters being displayed in locations across the UK to mark the author’s birthday.

Manchester Central Library is playing host to Charlie, the goodhearted hero of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as part of the Read Manchester Campaign – spearheaded by the National Literacy Trust and Manchester council.

He is composed of almost 9,000 bricks, took 53 hours to construct and stands at just over a metre tall.

Charlie will remain at the library for two months and visitors are encouraged to share their pictures using #LegoCharlie, #RoaldDahlDay and #ReadMCR on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

The venue is also home to two Roald Dahl-themed BookBenches, which were created by local children as part of the Read Manchester BookBench trail which finished last weekend.

Pupils from Oswald Road Primary School, who decorated one of the Roald Dahl-inspired benches, were among the first to see the Lego Charlie when they were invited to a workshop at the library.

Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, said: “After the success of the Read Manchester BookBench trail this summer, we’re so pleased to build on the buzz around reading cross the city by giving families the chance to enjoy this unique Charlie Lego brick build in Manchester.

“Roald Dahl’s brilliant stories have inspired children to enjoy reading for decades and for many Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the most iconic of them all.”

The six Dahl character brick builds have been created by Duncan Titmarsh – the UK’s only certified Lego professional builder – and his team at the Bright Bricks workshop in Bordon, Hampshire.