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From the archives: 25 quirky and giant sights from across Shropshire to make you smile

Shropshire has certainly seen its share of unusual and wonderful sights over the years.

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By Tania Taylor
Published

Here’s a small selection, including a strange-looking bike from the 1950s, firefighters bravely removing hazardous giant icicles from a building in the early ’80s, and a tiny tortoise no bigger than a brussels sprout.

Kenneth Horne, the famous broadcaster, who was also a director of the Chad Valley toy factory in Wellington, tries out an unusual form of transport in Tan Bank, Wellington. Picture shared by Gordon Riley, who is behind wearing a beret. Gordon thinks (from the vintage of his coat) that this picture dates from c.1951. On the left, with moustache and tie, is George Evans. Gordon says the bike was brought out for a stunted picture.
Kenneth Horne, the famous broadcaster, who was also a director of the Chad Valley toy factory in Wellington, tries out an unusual form of transport in Tan Bank, Wellington. Picture shared by Gordon Riley, who is behind wearing a beret. Gordon thinks (from the vintage of his coat) that this picture dates from c.1951. On the left, with moustache and tie, is George Evans. Gordon says the bike was brought out for a stunted picture.
Pupils at Lightmoor Village Primary School in Telford, pictured in 2017 for the school's Roald Dahl exhibition. Here is The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) display with (L-R): Jeremy Ho 10, Ellie Osborne 10, and Kiera Rogers 10.
Pupils at Lightmoor Village Primary School in Telford, pictured in 2017 for the school's Roald Dahl exhibition. Here is The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) display with (L-R): Jeremy Ho 10, Ellie Osborne 10, and Kiera Rogers 10.
A charity vintage auction which will feature the sale of lorries from Scotland and a 15ft spade will take place at Malcolm Harrison Auctions, Prees. Seen here with a selection of the lorries and the giant spade is Malcolm Harrison in 2015.
A charity vintage auction which will feature the sale of lorries from Scotland and a 15ft spade will take place at Malcolm Harrison Auctions, Prees. Seen here with a selection of the lorries and the giant spade is Malcolm Harrison in 2015.
Mayor of Shrewsbury Councillor Bernard Lingen helps put up a fundraising target giant 13ft thermometer in The Square, Shrewsbury, on August 6, 1979. He had launched in his mayoral year an appeal to raise \u00a31.25 million to built a cobalt unit (i.e. cancer treatment unit) at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. This picture is a print in the Shropshire Star picture archive and has the Shropshire Star copyright stamp. Councillor Lingen had launched the Cobalt Unit Fund, which became the Lingen-Davies fund
Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Bernard Lingen, helps put up a fundraising target giant 13ft thermometer in The Square, Shrewsbury, on August 6, 1979. He had launched in his mayoral year an appeal to raise £1.25 million to built a cobalt unit i.e. cancer treatment unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
Sarah McManus comes face to face with a giant spider at The British Ironworks, Oswestry.
Sarah McManus comes face to face with a giant spider at The British Ironworks, Oswestry, in 2015.
A giant mammoth tusk was on loan from the British Museum in London which arrived in Shrewsbury on February 12, 1988. The caption went on: 'The tusk will form part of the display of the Shropshire mammoth found at a sand and gravel pit near Shrewsbury. It is believed to be the most complete adult skeleton to be found in Great Britain and one of the best in Western Europe. Although many fragments of the tusk were found with the skeleton, it has not been possible to reassemble these yet, so the British Museum has lent Shropshire a tusk for the time being...' It said the bones would be on display at Cosford Aerospace Museum from April 1 to October 30. 'Seen with the tusk are, from left, Colin Shuttleworth, Hilary Hymes, exhibition co-ordinator, and Derek James, display artist.'
A giant mammoth tusk on loan from the British Museum in London which arrived in Shrewsbury on February 12, 1988. The caption went on: 'The tusk will form part of the display of the Shropshire mammoth found at a sand and gravel pit near Shrewsbury. It is believed to be the most complete adult skeleton to be found in Great Britain and one of the best in Western Europe. Although many fragments of the tusk were found with the skeleton, it has not been possible to reassemble these yet, so the British Museum has lent Shropshire a tusk for the time being...' It said the bones would be on display at Cosford Aerospace Museum from April 1 to October 30. 'Seen with the tusk are, from left, Colin Shuttleworth, Hilary Hymes, exhibition co-ordinator, and Derek James, display artist.'
Lakeside Plant Centre, Telford in 2019. Councillor and staff member, Kevin Turley, pictured with a giant cockerel. There was a photo competition encouraging youngsters to take a photo with the bird to be entered into a draw to win some bird feeding goodies.
Lakeside Plant Centre, Telford in 2019. Councillor and staff member, Kevin Turley, pictured with a giant cockerel. There was a photo competition encouraging youngsters to take a photo with the bird to be entered into a draw to win some bird feeding goodies.
Four-year-old Harris Thompson, of Clun Road, Craven Arms, pictured with his giant Sunflower in August 2015.
Four-year-old Harris Thompson, of Clun Road, Craven Arms, pictured with his giant Sunflower in August 2015.