Run for the hills! The biggest dalek in the universe has materialised on earth – in a field on the outskirts of York.
The giant image of Doctor Who’s most feared adversary has been created by Yorkshire farmer and Who fan Tom Pearcy as his tribute to the 50th anniversary of the show.
Tom has regenerated his famous York Maze with a design featuring the biggest image of a dalek ever created. It is more than 300 metres (or 1,000ft) long, cut out of an 18 acre field of one million living maize plants.
The design also includes images of the first Doctor William Hartnell, who took to our screens in November 1963, and the current incarnation, Matt Smith. Visitors will be able to explore six miles of pathways in what is the largest maze in Europe and one of the largest in the world, covering an area the size of eight football pitches.
“Like many kids I grew up watching Doctor Who from behind the sofa and fell in love with the show,” said Tom. “I wanted to create a piece of art as a tribute to the 50th anniversary and also make it interactive so visitors can have their own adventures in time and space inside the maze.”
The sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, met up with some of his old foes the daleks at the launch of the York Maze.
“It is fantastic to see how much interest there is in the 50th anniversary of the show,” said Colin, who was an I’m A Celebrity contestant last year.
“I have been invited to join events all over the world this year, but what York Maze have created with their giant maize maze has to be one of the most imaginative ways to mark the 50th anniversary I have seen.
“Who would have thought almost thirty years after I played the Doctor that the show would continue to go from strength to strength reaching a new generation of fans? It is great that children and their families will be able to have their own Doctor Who inspired adventures in the York Maze this summer.”
As you go around the maze you need to find way marker points. At each way marker point there is a recording of Colin Baker asking a question about Doctor Who.
Find the next way marker point and Colin will reveal the answer and pose the next question. Collect all six answers and post your competition entry to go into a draw to win some great Doctor Who goodies.
Previous York Maze designs
2002 Viking Longship
2003 Spiders Web
2004 Flying Scotsman
2005 Big Ben
2006 Star Trek
2007 James Bond
2008 Statue of Liberty
2009 Astronaut
2010 Spitfire
2011 Harry Potter
2012 Mayan God of Corn
- York Maze is open to the public from Saturday 13 July to Monday 2 September. For more details see the website
- It is open daily from 10am to 6.30pm (last admission 4.30pm). Ticket prices: adult £11.50, Senior £11, Children (3-15) £10.50, Under threes free, family (2 adults and 2 children) £42
- Other activities include: Crowmania tractor trailer ride, giant sand and water play area, water wars game, jumping pillow, maze of illusions, crazy-mazy golf and pig racing