A GIANT mechanical puppet first unveiled in Tavistock last year has roared back to life with a National Lottery award.

The Man Engine, the UK’s largest mechanical puppet built to celebrate Cornish mining heritage, received the news on Monday that it had walked away with a National Lottery award of £5,000.

Comedian David Baddiel met the team who brought the giant 10-metre high tin miner to life, at King Edward Mine, Camborne, Cornwall. He broke the news that they had been voted the UK’s best arts project in the annual search for the UK’s favourite National Lottery-funded good causes.

The project won with 7,974 public votes, winning a £5,000 cash prize, a National Lottery Awards trophy and an appearance on a special BBC One programme on September 27.

Last summer The Man Engine, the height of two and a half double decker buses, steamed from Tavistock to the tip of Cornwall to celebrate the ‘tinth’ (tenth) anniversary of the West Devon and Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.

At the end of the two-week creative extravaganza, the Man Engine’s creator Will Coleman pledged to take the colossal puppet around the world.

The Man Engine unearthed a vein of pride during the tour to celebrate Cornwall and West Devon’s mining heritage. National Lottery funding helped fund the tour, which brought Tavistock and Cornish towns to a near standstill, with almost a third of the local population coming out to greet him. The project helped people share memories of those who worked and died in Cornish mines.

The Man Engine team has been campaigning for public votes this summer by revisiting the sites of last year’s tour. Next spring the story continues when the Man Engine will say goodbye to Cornwall to tour Wales and England.

Will Coleman, director of Golden Tree Productions, the team behind the Man Engine, said: ‘Last year, we collectively pulled off something truly spectacular, working  together with people all over Cornwall and West Devon to make the Man Engine tour the length of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site a reality. This year, we’ve done it again thanks to almost 8,000 people voting for the Man Engine to become the country’s favourite arts project in the National Lottery awards. What a phenomenal response.

‘I simply want to thank everyone who commissioned us, supported us, sponsored us, volunteered for us, sang for us, helped us along the way, or simply came to see us and took part. The personal and family stories of triumph and tragedy have been deeply moving.’

Will added: ‘I am delighted to confirm that this win is a significant boost to our plans for the Man Engine to awaken again. Next year will see him touring across Cornwall and Devon and heading to Wales and England on his travels. For now, I cannot say any more, but thank you again to everyone that voted, and watch this space for news very soon.’

Nerys Watts, head of Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: ‘The Man Engine is a hugely imaginative project which brings together heritage and arts in one fabulous mechanised tin miner. I can’t think of a better way to share Cornwall’s mining stories which run the gamut from the tragic to the triumphant, and all made possible thanks to National Lottery players.’

John Taylor, chair of Tavistock Forward which co-ordinated bringing the Man Engine to Tavistock first, said: ‘This is great news for the Man Engine and absolutely fantastic for Tavistock as the eastern gateway to the World Heritage Site.’

The winners of the National Lottery awards are decided by public votes. The project had already beaten stiff competition from 1,300 entries to be shortlisted.

To see more about The Man Engine watch the special BBC One show on Wednesday, September 27, which will profile the seven winners of this year’s National Lottery Awards.