OTTERY S Pixie Day this week acted as the national launch-pad for a new collection of Royal Mail stamps.

OTTERY'S Pixie Day this week acted as the national launch-pad for a new collection of Royal Mail stamps.

Tomorrow's colourful event can now boast its very own pixie postage mark as part of its notorious festivities.

The Mythical Creatures Collection also features a boulder-wielding giant, a fire-breathing dragon, a fairy, a mermaid, and a unicorn.

Ottery pixies Megan Jackson, Victoria Bateman, twins Zachary and Meredith Marsh, and Joanna Young (pictured on front page) posed in costume in front of the Parish Church as part of the launch on Monday.

Illustrator Dave McKean, best known for his work on graphic novels, was selected to create images for the 62 pence stamps.

Royal Mail's Julietta Edgar praised Ottery's special as the perfect launch-pad for the collection. She said: "The stamps feature fantastic characters from the UK's rich history of folklore and legend. They are an astonishing set of illustrations and the imagination works overtime which is probably why these creatures and the stories behind them, have such an enduring appeal.