Tourist attraction Warwick Castle has unveiled £500,000 plans to replicate its 22-tonne siege warfare machine.
Known as a trebuchet, the catapult is claimed to be the largest of its kind in the world and will be rebuilt this winter ahead of a planned launch next spring.
The trebuchet made headlines recently when the replica of the medieval weaponry was placed on Facebook Marketplace with a price tag of £100,000.
Warwick Castle says the siege machine, which dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries, is being replaced with a new working replica, enabling the castle to use it again in a brand-new live show for visitors to enjoy.
For more than a decade, visitors to the castle would watch specially trained trebuchet masters launch projectiles into the air but it has been out of action in recent years.
The current trebuchet is currently being removed and dismantled, with the existing metal work being reused in the new machine.
Specialist timber firm Carpenter Oak has been appointed to undertake the rebuild, the same company which built the current trebuchet. Work on the replacement includes sourcing oak and ash wood from France.
The structure's parts will be carved at Carpenter Oak's workshop in Devon before being transported to the castle for on-site construction, expected to take ten weeks.
It will be made to the same specifications as the old one, reaching 59 feet in height, made from more than 300 pieces of oak and will be capable of launching projectiles up to 820 feet.
Castle operations director Liam Bartlett said: "For many years, the trebuchet has been one of our most popular attractions and families would flock to see this exciting piece of authentic history in action.
"However, years of launching heavy projectiles hundreds of metres took its toll and the wear and tear got to the point where it was no longer safe to operate.
"We are delighted to be able to make this substantial investment to replace it and once again showcase this masterful piece of machinery.
"I can't wait to see it unleashed again with a brand new show and I know our many visitors will feel the same."
