Grandad forges 7-foot-tall dragon that actually breathes fire

By Katie Pearson

Meet the Welsh grandad who built a 7ft dragon in the back yard – that breathes FIRE.

Dean Payne, 58, spent around six months constructing the impressive sculpture from pieces of scrap metal and pipes.

The idea for the dragon came around when Dean’s Wife, Alison Payne, 59, spotted a similar sculpture online.

Dean – who works as a stainless-steel fabricator – decided to use his skills to “build something better” for their own garden.

After hand-designing each piece - including the wings and scales – he spent five months wielding it together.

To complete the dragon, Dean inserted a tube attached to a gas canister so that the sculpture breathes actual fire from its mouth.

He estimates it costs about £700 to build – including materials, wielding gas, spray paint and sandblasting.

The sculpture is adored by their five grandchildren – Sailor, 12, Venice, 10, River and Forrest, both four, and Hunter, three – who affectionately named him “Thunder the Dragon”.

Dean even wrote a children’s book called “Thunder the Dragon” that features his grandchildren’s adventures with the dragon.

Dean, from Newport, Wales, said: “It’s definitely inspired by my Welsh roots.

“This is the first time I’ve ever built anything like this.

“It’s very impressive at night, especially when we turn the fire on.

"It doubles up as an outdoor heater!

“The neighbors love it - they think it's fantastic.

“The grandchildren were a bit scared at first though, especially the little ones.

“But now they love Thunder the Dragon, and goes for rides on his back."

Dean started constructing the dragon in 2021, as a lockdown project, after being inspired by a similar design online.

He gathered the scrap metal from work and began drawing up the plans in his home workshop in Newport, Wales.

Dean said: “Alison showed me one online and I thought, ‘I can do better than that’.

“I wanted to make it for the grandchildren – I knew they love it.

"I got lots of free scrap metal thanks to my job.

“If I bought everything brand-new, the material would have cost about £4,000 alone."

Dean painstakingly designed everything by hand including 150 scales on the dragon’s neck and body.

It took around four months to cut out and wield the pieces for the top half of the dragon.

“It was only the head and neck to start with,” Dean said.

"We moved homes before I completed it, and it was too big for my son-in-law's van.

"I had to hire a truck, and all the neighbors were staring.

"It must have been quite a sight."

In 2024, Dean spent another couple of months completing the dragon and building the body, wings and legs.

The sculpture is "adored" by their five grandchildren - siblings Sailor, Venice and River, and their cousins, Forrest and Hunter.

Dean even wrote a kids' book inspired by the Dragon, that features all of his grandkids and their adventures called "Thunder the Dragon."

He said: "The book is about two girls, Sailor and Venice, who go hunting in the forest and fishing in the river.

"I tried to incorporate all of their names.

"They get into trouble and are saved by Thunder the Dragon."

Dean completely the Dragon by feeding a tube through the body and up the neck.

It's attached to gas canister at the bottom which can produce actual fire from it's mouth.

"When the kids saw the dragon light up for the first time, they loved it," he said.

"We invite people over to see it.

"It's a really great talking point at BBQs.

"I have no plans to make more unless anyone commissions one.

"I would love to retire and make them full-time."

Dean's wife Alison, retired, added: “It's so clever - Dean is very talented.

"I showed him one online, and he got to work making his own.

"He didn't have any designs - it's all by hand.

"Our grandchildren love Thunder the Dragon, they always run straight out into the garden to see him.

"Our garden wouldn't be the same without him."