The Beano characters have gone on a rampage across the National Trust this summer - and gate crashed all of its 300 homes and acres of land.
The latest edition of The Beano has been coined Gnashional Trust and sees the likes of Dennis the Menace and Gnasher run riot across the country.
The terrible twosome take over Powis Castle in Wales for typically chaotic capers as they kick off by catapulting themselves over a wall to break into Powis Castle in Powys. Once inside, Gnasher trims all the hedges with his teeth to create lookalikes of the gruesome twosome and throw pursuing staff off the scent. The pair storm the castle, sending visitors fleeing, and with Dennis established as ‘King of the Castle’ they fire tomatoes at all and sundry from the ramparts.
The Trust says it has opened its doors to the pair of rascals and the Beano’s other much-loved cartoon characters in a bid to shake off its stuffy image among young people and change preconceptions.
The Beano’s team of illustrators were given full creative control over the antics of the likes of Minnie the Minx, The Bash Street Kids and Billy Whizz at Trust properties.
Between them, the mischief-makers conquer castles, grand estates and mazes as they run amok, leaving a trail of bewildered Trust staff in their wake.
The mayhem continues with Minnie the Minx at Northern Ireland’s world-famous Giant's Causeway. The manic minx scares her dad witness as they take to bicycles, a speedboat and a paraglider to view the ancient stones in County Antrim.
The Bash Street Kids take over Devon family manor Arlington Court, where they promptly lock their teacher in a giant trunk and race ponies on the lawns.
And Billy Whizz – the fastest boy in The Beano – speeds around four Trust properties – Shropshire’s Attingham Park, Northumberland’s Cragside, Suffolk’s Sutton Hoo, and Cheshire’s Lyme Park – in less than a day.
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