A ROARSOME new group of animals have arrived in Hampshire, as a world exclusive exhibition comes to Marwell Zoo.

Visitors to the attraction, near Winchester, can marvel at a unique collection of life-like LEGO brick dinosaurs, which are on display around the 140-acre park alongside its hundreds of exotic and endangered species, until September 1.

The Brickosaurs creatures have been created by Bright Bricks, with Marwell being the first place to host the impressive sculptures.

Highlights include the largest touring LEGO brick dinosaur model ever made – an eight-metre Tyrannosaurus re. The model weighs around 2,500kg, the same as Kiri, the zoo's white rhino.

Families can enjoy a host of extra free activities, including hands-on experiences in the Brickosaurs Base Camp, where kids big and small can meet Bruce, a Brickosaurs keeper who brings some of the colourful characters to life, get creative in the brick pits filled with LEGO and Duplo – and enjoy photo opportunities with a giant Megalosaurus head, as well as looking out for Spike the new Stegosaurus mascot.

There will also be face painting during weekends and school holidays.

Sean Mannie, Marwell's commercial director, said: "Brickosaurs has been two years in the planning and it's fantastic to see it all finally come to fruition. It's a genuine world-first at Marwell Zoo and the 'must-see' family day out for 2019.

"The event combines all the things younger and older guests will love; world-class animal experiences, dinosaurs in full technicolour and LEGO bricks, with even more to come. We have around 36 Brickosaurs sculptures, in 16 displays around the zoo and even more arriving for the summer holidays."

Bright Bricks, the builders and creators behind Brickosaurs, spent an estimated 969 days using more than two million bricks to complete the collection of dinosaur sculptures.

Creative director Ed Diment said: "We have never attempted anything on this scale before. It is by far our biggest ever collection and now they are in place around Marwell Zoo, they look even more spectacular. We can't wait to see the public's reaction."

Brickosaurs is included with general admission at Marwell Zoo.

BRICKOSAURS FACTS:

It would take one person nearly five years to create the full Brickosaurs collection.

It took Bright Bricks more than 10,000 hours to create the whole collection.

If you place all the LEGO bricks used in Brickosaurs side by side in a line, it would stretch from Marwell to Brighton.

The eyes of the T Rex have been made from LEGO Ninjago swords, a radar dish, a telephone and the sphere of the eyes are cockpit windows from a spaceship.

The teeth of the Tyrannosaurus took one builder a full day to construct and place.

The colour scheme used for the Parasaurolophus was inspired by the designer's favourite Twister ice cream.