TWO king-sized, metal crunching giants have taken centre stage in Hampshire this Bank Holiday weekend.

But while one was a car-crushing truck performing spectacular stunts in front of huge crowds, the other was a monster of the movie world whose terrifying character famously gnawed through steel cables.

Thousands of film fans queued at Beaulieu Motor Museum to meet Richard Kiel, who played metal-toothed James Bond baddie “Jaws” in The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker Together with his Moonraker girlfriend, Blanche “Dolly” Ravalec, Richard signed autographs, and posed for photographs taken with his legion of fans.

Richard had flown from his home in California, while Blanche came from France, to take part in the event, which coincided with the museum's display of vehicles from the 007 films.

At the height of his fame Richard, now aged 73, measured more than 7ft 2in, towering over the actor Roger Moore in the blockbuster movies.

A veteran of countless films and television series, these days Jaws, who once famously bit through the steel hawsers of a mountain cable car carrying James Bond, spends his time writing, and attending 007 themed conventions.

“I always enjoy meeting fans of the films,” said Richard, who also signed copies of his autobiography, Making It BIG In the Movies.

“It is wonderful seeing all the James Bond vehicles on show, espe cially my favourite, 007’s underwater car, the Lotus Esprit.”

Outside, thousands of petrol heads descended on the museum grounds to watch some of the largest lorries on the roads perform dazzling stunts.

Star of the show was the legendary Bigfoot, a conventional-looking truck perched above huge tyres that are 6ft 6in tall and 4ft wide.

Driven by Nigel Morris, Bigfoot staged a series of gravity-defying wheelies as well as driving over six scrap cars supplied by Silverlake Garage in Southampton.

Weighing in at more than five tonnes, Bigfoot reduced the cars to small heaps of metal just 18 inches high.

The show, which is repeated today, also featured Volvo and DAF lorries from firms in Southampton and other parts of the region.

Celebrity guests included Twitter sensation Mark Dixon, star of the Channel 5 show Eddie Stobart: Trucks & Trailers.

HEAVE! Three-year-old Alex Faulkner gets to pull a truck on his birthday with brother Matthew, 5.

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