A giant, snarling gorilla rears from the peaceful paddy fields on the outskirts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, made entirely from old tyres by a Cambodian artist. Mean Tithpheap used 500 bicycle and motorbike tyres to create the 2.5 metre King Kong, with two helpers.

Penh has been turning tyres into sculptures for four years, and the statues include King Kongs, elephants, lions, cobras and garudas, a mythical man-bird creature.

Tithpheap hoped others would follow his example and put discarded rubber and plastic to creative use so that it does not pollute the environment. Tithpheap charges between $2,000 and $3,000 for a King Kong statue, his most popular model.•