THEY make strange bedfellows. Lizard-tongued Venom, The Joker and Darth Vader rub shoulders with Batman, a Doctor Who Dalek, a Banksy plea for peace and … bare-chested Vladimir Putin riding his horse.

Welcome to the towering tourist attraction that not only restores heavy metal’s reputation – there’s not a rock band in sight, although Ozzy Osbourne would make a great addition – but also has something to say about the state of today’s troubled world.

The British Ironwork Centre & Sculpture Park is big in every sense. More than 1,000 metal sculptures are dotted around a 70-acre site, ranging from towering giants such as King Kong and Optimus Prime to life-sized wildlife shyly peeping out from the reeds and trees.

Just outside Oswestry in Shropshire, it’s the birthplace of the iconic Knife Angel currently out on tour around the UK – but the anti-violence showpiece statue, made from 100,000 surrendered knives, is just part of the story.

Because the ingenuity of the craftsmen and women here is off the scale, and the results often larger than life. From the moment you pull up in the car park, you’re overshadowed by a fearsome Predator, straight from the sci-fi movie franchise.

And they just keep on coming.

Marvel and DC superheroes and villains; Disney family favourites; Victorian steampunk outlaws; box office blockbuster cars; Game of Thrones dragons; fairytale characters … and did I mention Satan himself, wielding a huge sword?

Spider-Man, Daredevil, Iron Man, Hulk, Groot, Captain America, Wolverine, Doctor Octopus, Batman, Superman, Venom … they’re all here. 

It’s not all sci-fi and fantasy, however. Look closer and you’ll find sociological and ecological messages aplenty, from the danger of plastics dumped in our oceans to the threat of war, the insidious spread of bigotry and the rise of intolerance. 

Hence Putin on horseback, in the Superheroes & Villains marquee, carries a rainbow flag bearing a peace sign. From a stranded front line battle tank, Israeli and Palestinian flags fly together, and the Banksy lookalike is of a girl frisking a soldier in Bethlehem.

And in the centre’s Forge Café eaterie, a huge Donald Trump dangles a Pinocchio puppet in a sculpture titled The Truth In Decline.

One of the most emotive pieces is The National Sculpture For Reflection which depicts a young hooded soldier, deep in thought, resting on his assault rifle, a plea for young people not to be wooed by terrorist ideology, social, political, and religious beliefs.

The Extinction Trail is a large field of sculptures representing wildlife in danger of dying out largely because of our careless husbandry of the planet, and can be visited on foot, or by hiring a golf buggy, the latter best booked in advance to avoid disappointment.

But don’t get the idea that it’s all messaging because wandering through, and wondering at, the many sculptures is, above all, fun for all ages. You’ll spot references to decades past, present and future, many of the artworks sparking memories and conversation.

Highlights, there are many. The huge Hulk stomping on a car is a headliner; the giant King Kong a huge attraction in every way, and a silver gorilla, carefully crafted from thousands of spoons, is simply stunning, especially when gleaming in the sunlight.

There are several Transformers around the site, the Red Baron in his WW1 fighter plane, How To Train Your Dragon’s Toothless, and Minions of all kinds everywhere, waiting to be ticked off on a free themed trail for youngsters. Watch out, too, for the tightrope walkers overhead!

There’s an elephant somehow made entirely from horseshoes; a giant millipede devouring a car; a gorilla in robotic battle armour; Cap’n Jack Sparrow riding a jet-ski; the Terminator ripping the roof from a saloon car … the list is endless.

There’s even a chimpanzee reading a newspaper in the gents!

I caught sight, too, of the Manchester Bee, an anti-violence statement piece made entirely from confiscated and surrendered firearms. It was on the back of a truck, either buzzing off on tour or returning to the nest so it may, or may not, currently be on display.

Like I said, we hired a golf buggy for our visit – you can book 40-minute slots – but there’s also the recent addition of a land train, which can ferry you around part of the site. It is do-able by foot, although anyone with mobility issues may struggle to get round it all in one visit.

When you need a break, the two-tier Forge Café offers reasonably priced family-favourites, and there’s a large covered deck at the back boasting an ice cream and shakes parlour, too. Suitably super-sized afternoon teas are hugely popular, and need to be booked well in advance.

Before you leave, of course, there’s a shop – but what an Aladdin’s Cave it turns out to be, with all manner of recycled metal goodies on offer from artwork costing hundreds of pounds to pocket money gifts. It’s worth a good look round just to see all the crazy creations.

The Knife Angel is out on tour and not currently on display at the centre. You can see it just now on Palace Green in Ely, Cambridgeshire, directly facing the city’s cathedral, where it will remain on display until June 17 before moving closer to home to visit Shrewsbury.

In the meantime, there’s always the Iron Throne of Westeros …

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NEED TO KNOW

• The British Ironworks Centre & Sculpture Park is located just outside of Oswestry, on the A5. The address is Aston, Oswestry, Shropshire and the postcode to pop into your sat-nav is SY11 4JH.
• It’s open from 9.30am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday, and from 9am to 4pm on Saturday, but is closed on Sunday and Monday. One child under the age of 12 gets in free with each adult day pass purchased, and youngsters under six months old go free.
• Arrive before 9.30am on Saturday and a discounted Early Bird day pass costs £9. Arrive any day before 11am and the Morning Entry discount deal is £12.50. Any other time it’s £14, all with the free child pass. Extra child tickets can be purchased for £5 a time.
• Electric buggy hire is £55 for a six-seater, or £75 for a 10-seat buggy bus. Hires are for 40 minutes, and you’ll need to present a valid UK driver’s licence. Whether you rent a buggy or not, you should factor in a £4 car parking charge as well.
• All proceeds are ploughed back into the business, which does not receive any local government support. For more information take a look at the official British Ironwork Centre website.

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