UK mythical creatures star on new stamps

A brand new set of stamps are to be issued featuring illustrations of weird and wonderful creatures.

The eight stamps show mythical figures and legendary characters from UK folklore.

The Loch Ness Monster, Beowulf and Black Shuck (a folk tale about a fearsome dog that terrified the people of Norfolk), are just some of the creatures featured.

Others include mythical beings that are said to have inspired J.K Rowling as she wrote Harry Potter, including a grindylow.

The stamps were illustrated by London-based artist Adam Simpson and will be released as collectable items at first.

But who are some of the creatures on them and what are their stories? See if you recognise any of them.

Blodeuwedd is the Welsh goddess of flowers.

She is said to bring warmth and new life, in the form of flowers, after the cold, harsh winters, but her story is far from pretty!

Legend has it that she hatched a plan to kill her husband, Lleu after she fell in love with another man.

However, in a fit of rage, Lleu and his wizard friend Gwydion returned to kill Blodeuwedd's new lover and transformed her into an owl so she could never show her face in the light of day again.

Drama!

Now this one, you are probably familiar with. The Loch Ness Monster is a mythical serpent who is said to lurk beneath the waters of Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.

Legend has it that "Nessie" has a long neck and humps that emerge from the water.

However, there have never been any confirmed sightings and many people believe any "evidence" to be a hoax.

Fionn Mac Cumhail, or Finn MacCool, was a legendary Irish warrior who created the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland.

The story goes that Fionn built it to challenge a rival giant, Benandonner, in Scotland. When he got there, he found that the Scottish giant was far bigger than he was, so he ran off home.

When Benandonner crossed the causeway looking for Fionn, Fionn's wife dressed him up as a baby. When Benandonner saw the 'baby' he decided that the absent Fionn must be massive, so he ran back to Scotland tearing the causeway up as he went.

Clever!

Selkies are said to be shapeshifters that can transform between human and seal form by shedding their seal skin.

They are not just shapeshifters, but also some believe they can take on two different personas depending on the people or creatures they interact with.

Some say they can be friendly and helpful to humans, but they can also be dangerous and vengeful.

Now if you are a Harry Potter fan, you may recognise these little creatures. Cornish Piskies (sometimes known as pixies) are said to be small elf-like critters, sometimes found roaming the Cornish moorlands.

They are said to be helpful or mischievous depending on how they are treated, and can guide weary travellers to safety, or to danger if they have been rude!

So, remember to always be nice to piskies!