AN alien made from scrap metal and standing at 7ft tall has unwittingly become one of the most popular attractions in a County Durham town.

Children and adults have been queuing up to take selfies with the monster ever since its creator John MacMurray decided to move it from his shed to the front garden of his Shildon home.

Inspired by his love for horror films, the great-grandfather fashioned the Alien-meets-Predator creature using his imagination, scraps of donated metal and his bare hands.

CREATURE: John MacMurray shows off his work of art Video: SARAH CALDECOTT

He may be a care home maintenance worker by day but thanks to his passion for welding he has become somewhat of a local celebrity.

Mr MacMurray, 54, said: “People have been coming in to get photos, the kids love it and adults have been taking selfies with it.

“We’ve put a bucket out for (local charity) Shildon Alive, just to give something back to the community.”

The grandfather-of-six is entirely self-taught and has always been interested in welding.

Two years ago he bought a new welding machine to pursue his hobby, and wanted to test it out.

“I started playing on with it, to get used to its different settings and once I perfected it I felt it was very easy,” he said.

“I’m self-taught. I made three 3ft tall Minions which looked the same as the ones on telly.

"They were quite easy and I got a bit bored after that.”

Mr MacMurray, of Ash Grove, moved onto more complicated designs which included a VW Campervan coffee table and a “baby alien”.

The so-called baby, also on display in his garden, inspired him to make something similar but on a larger scale.

Using scraps from neighbours and friends he made a head, then decided to make a body, and then finally the legs.

“I use anything that’s lying around,” he added. “I seem to have an eye – I look at something and can see what I can do with it.

“I’m not educated in any way, I left school at 16, but I was always clever with my hands.

“I had no dimensions. I can’t spell but I’m good with maths in my head and I knew how it should look and that’s how it ended up looking.”

The creature took 18 months to make and has been lovingly named Niah Mackenzie after and by his great-granddaughter and youngest granddaughter.

Since being moved outside two weeks ago, Mr MacMurray has fitted it out with red LED lights.

Mr MacMurray has even set the scene for the alien – which appears to be on its own planet courtesy of pebbles from a river bank and stones from a local farm.

Enthused by its popularity, the designer is now planning to build a giant scorpion and spider to sit alongside it.