Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown unveils gingerbread model of Heathrow Airport to surprise Christmas travellers

GREAT British Bake Off winner Candice Brown has unveiled an elaborate gingerbread model of Heathrow Airport to surprise travelling passengers this Christmas.

The 50kg construction, built in collaboration with food artist Michele Wibowo, was unveiled at Terminal 5 as passenger numbers ramp up ahead of the big getaway.

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The hand-made creation required ten people to install, took more than 200 hours to make, features over 1,000 gingerbread pieces and measures 40m2.

Using more than 20kg of flour, 30kg of sugar, 20kg of butter and thousands of detailed decorations, the mammoth gingerbread structure features four terminals, the runways and the control tower, as well as the much-loved stars of Heathrow’s Christmas advert, Doris and Edward Bair.

Candice Brown, Great British Bake Off Winner 2016 commented: “There is something very special about the smell of gingerbread at Christmas.

“Gingerbread is a classic recipe that is consistently popular across Europe and making a gingerbread house is a tradition I love to share and keep going.

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“I’m excited to see travellers' reactions to this spectacular gingerbread creation."

New research commissioned to coincide with the installation shows that one in four Brits believe that the smell of gingerbread is the main scent that reminds them of the festive season.

One gingerbread bread item is sold every minute at the airport during December, so it created the gingerbread replica to inspire the nation’s love of this sweet, spicy, festive treat.

The survey also revealed that Brits are up early on Christmas Day, with the average person expected to roll out of bed at 7.42am, before opening gifts at 9.12am.

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The first family argument is expected to happen at 12.47pm, swiftly followed by tipple at 1.22pm and a Christmas meal at 2.48pm.

Most of us will be napping by 4.13pm and will retire to bed by 10.58pm.

Ross Baker, chief commercial officer at Heathrow, says: “Gingerbread is a real festive favourite.

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“We are expecting 1m passengers in the week leading up to Christmas alone, and hope our gingerbread airport will give them a memorable moment on their journey to loved ones.

“We hope it spreads a bit of festive joy to our passengers.”

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