INSPIRED by the rolling green scenery of the Welsh valleys and “the green green grass of home” the Astro SuperDragon is a tribute to the beautiful Welsh landscape.

But the dragon has also ended up being steeped in a very human story.

Its creator, Rhiannon Blackman, 34, gave birth to her second son, Obi, while creating the dragon but also suffered the shock of having hermumdiagnosed with breast cancer and then a brain tumour.

It meant the daffodils, which were initially just part of the rolling scenery, became more poignant.

“The daffodils were given to us to use by Marie Curie, so the dragon is in support of them nowtoo.”

Astro has been a big hit with children visiting the beast at the Newport International Sports Village, perhaps too much so as some of the sheep which were part of the design have gone astray.

But there’s been no bigger fan than Mrs Blackman’s elder son, seven-year-old Mac.

“He has been missing it a lot so we have had to go and pay it a lot of visits, he is quite protective over it,” she said.

ThemumfromBaneswell, who is a multimedia lecturer at Nash College, was desperate to be involved after seeing the dragons last time around, and thought it would be a fun way to fill some of her maternity leave.

She said: “It has been very sociable at the Dragon’s Den (U.R.B.A.N in John Frost Square).”