One couple were treated to a bird’s eye view of this summer’s maize maze at Skylark garden centre in Wimblington this morning to mark the official opening of the fun attraction.

Couple Julie Watson and David Pooley won a competition for a helicopter ride over the amazing maze created by Skylark owner Edward Gowler with big-screen favourites Minions as the theme.

It was the first time in a helicopter for Ms Watson, of Upwell, who was blown away by the experience and was impressed by the sky high view of the maze.

Mr Gowler has painstakingly cut the image of a giant Minion into a field of maize plants to create this year’s challenging maze for families to tackle over the coming months.

The puzzling idea came from his six-year-old son Henry, a massive fan of the Minions, who were first seen in hit movie Despicable Me and then Despicable Me 2.

This summer sees the Minions let loose in a film all of their own with Hollywood names such Sandra Bullock offering the voice talents for what looks set to be one of the box office smashes of the season.

Mr Gowler said: “I was thinking of using Alice in Wonderland as the theme because it is the 150th anniversary this year, but my children didn’t seem overly enthusiastic about that idea. Although to be honest my daughter quite liked the thought of being Alice.

“But we all like the Minions and Henry is Minions mad and pestered me to use them for the design and I thought with the recent release of the film it would really appeal to families,” said Mr Gowler.

He drew up the design, thought to be the first Minions maze in the country, and then sent it to a specialist firm located in the south of England who recreated it using GPS mapping, marking it out on the field with spray paint. Mr Gowler then had to spend hours on his tractor cutting the plants to keep the maze paths clear.

“People keep asking me where I’ve been on holiday because I have got such a good tan, but it is simply down to all the hours I have spent cutting the maze,” said Mr Gowler.

Members of the press together with Skylark staff and Henry himself were also treated to a bird’s eye view of the maze in a series of helicopter trips over the field.

Visitors trying to tackle the maze won’t have that luxury but will have to rely on either guesswork or the use of a map available to buy at the start.

The maze is cut from a 12 acre field of maize plants. The Minion featured in the maze is over 150 metres (500 feet) tall, 150 times the size of a real Minion and is believed to be the biggest Minion ever created.

Visitors to the Skylark maize maze will have to find a series of Minions hidden in the pattern of pathways and collect bananas, Minion’s favourite food.

The maze opens to visitors on Saturday (July 18) and will be open daily until Sunday September 6, then weekends only for the rest of September. For details visit www.skylarkmaze.co.uk.

Admission Prices: Adults £9, Children (3-15) £8, Seniors £8.00, Family (2+2 or 1+3) £32, Children under 3 Free. Free parking.

Skylark Maize Maze and Funyard, Skylark Garden Centre and Country Store, Manea Road, Wimblington, March, Cambridgeshire PE15 0PA. Tel: 01354 741212 , email: info@ skylarkgarddencentre.co.uk, www.skylarkmaizemaze.co.uk