An eye-catching statue of the cursed King Midas has been created from thousands of new £1 coins.

The larger-than-life gold-coloured model required 2,000 shiny and un-circulated pounds which were then stuck with industrial glue all over the artwork.

The king's crown also needed 40 £2 coins, which had to be dipped in cola and rubbed down in order to clean them up.

It is the latest sculpture to adorn the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire, which also houses the Knife Angel, created from blades handed in to police forces during amnesties.

King Midas' legend is a cautionary tale about the hazards of loving money, when he unwittingly transforms his daughter into solid gold.

The statue's creator Debbie Rees-Deacon, who was commissioned by centre chairman Clive Knowles, said she wanted to provoke people into thinking about the real value of money, as both a blessingand a curse.

She said Midas' legend had "timeless appeal" and she loved watching people's reactions to the sculpture.

Mrs Rees-Deacon, originally from Wrexham in north Wales, said: "Money will always be something of great interest to people, for all sorts of reasons.

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