BRUNEL is larger than life. As part of the Dig It project for the Brunel 200 celebrations, Twigs, a charity that helps people with mental health problems, have made the 7ft model of the engineer out of willow.

And he is now standing in their garden outside the Brunel North car park.

Penny Errill, a horticultural therapist with the group, said: "It was quite difficult logistically to build him.

"We had to suspend him from the roof and anchor him.

The group is also working on a number of other creative projects that will be placed into the garden.

They include replicas of the oldest and newest steam trains, a mosaic and a metal water tower replica.

"It is all going really well and they should be going into the garden over the new couple of weeks," said Penny.

Other groups taking part in the Dig It project are youth group SMASH, STEP, Stepping Forward, the Foyer and the British Conservation Trust Volunteers.

For more information on the Brunel 200 celebrations , log on to www.swindonbrunel200.co.uk