There really is such a thing as the Gruffalo – if you go into the deep, dark woods.

In the first development of its kind, Forestry Commission England and Magic Light Pictures are bringing Gruffalo characters to life in the forest through a new augmented reality app.

The Gruffalo Spotter trail will open at Cardinham near Bodmin on Tuesday (February 21). 

Families can follow clues on an interactive trail and track signs of their favourite characters based on the best-selling book by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Once families have spotted the characters, they can use the app to bring the 3D character animation to life and take photos with them.

Their photos are added to the device’s gallery, from where it can be shared via social media with the hashtag #GruffaloSpotters.

The Gruffalo Spotter app is free from the App Store, Google Play and Amazon.