Gollum takes over Wellington Airport

A larger than life sculpture of Tolkien's Gollum has been installed at Wellington Airport in New Zealand.

The enormous, 13 metre creation was made by Japanese artist Masayuki Ohashi out of fibre glass and epoxy resin, and designed by Peter Jackson's special effects stable, the Weta Workshop.

[Related story: Hobbit's lenghty running time revealed]

It was made, of course, to celebrate the imminent arrival of 'The Hobbit', the bulk of which has been made in director Peter Jackson's New Zealand homeland.

And as if a massive Smeagol bearing down on you while you wait for your flight, the whole city has been renamed 'The Middle of Middle-Earth' for the duration of the hype.

"Wellington airport feels like the home of Gollum after spending so many months here during the last three films," says Weta creative director Richard Taylor.

As well as the enormous Gollum, there are also three, four-metre long fish suspended from the ceiling, with bubbles emanating from the scuttling creature's mouth.

Brilliant or massively, child-terrifyingly creepy... you be the judge.

The film, once more starring Andy Serkis in his motion capture suit as Gollum, is out on December 14.