Heads have been turning in Ipswich town centre as shoppers shared the streets with a man-sized octopus.

Ipswich Star: Charlie Clover, 16, wearing his octopus art project.Charlie Clover, 16, wearing his octopus art project.

Charlie Clover created the eight-legged headpiece as part of his art and design course at Suffolk New College.

The 16-year-old took to the Cornhill this lunchtime to photograph people’s reactions to the spectacle.

“I have always had an obsession with octopi,” Charlie said. “I enjoy drawing them and I Iike the shape of the tentacles and how they work.

“I made it around a week ago and as it’s a costume I didn’t want it to just sit around.

“I wanted to see people’s reactions and they have been quite amazed, I have had quite a few people calling out and laughing.”

Charlie, who is in his first year at the college, has also walked around his home village of Waldringfield wearing the creation, which took him around seven hours to craft.

“There were much more people in Ipswich and it has been a slightly different reaction, more people looking around and saying things,” Charlie added. “I have very much enjoyed it, it’s been good fun.”