THE theme for this year's York Maze has finally been revealed.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of beloved children's author Roald Dahl, this year's maze features four of his most well-known characters.

Willy Wonka, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Enormous Crocodile and The BFG are all on show at the maze.

Farmer Tom Pearcy, who has created the maze, said: "Roald Dahl’s stories speak to the child in us all and are loved by children, parents and grandparents. Throughout 2016, there will be celebrations for Roald Dahl 100 around the UK but I wanted to pay my own special phizz-whizzing tribute to the amazing storyteller."

"Willy Wonka is definitely my favourite Roald Dahl character. He is an adult but still has childish qualities, incredible curiosity and excitement. He relishes nonsense and reminds us that life is fun and we shouldn't forget it. Much of what we aim to achieve here at York Maze."

He says the "maze towering above you has a wonder and marvel about it" that Dahl would have admired.

"I think this would have been right up Roald Dahl's street", Tom added.

The guest of honour to officially launch the maze was British actress Julie Dawn Cole, who played Veruca Salt alongside Gene Wilder in the 1971 film ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’.

Julie took a helicopter flight over the giant 15 acre maize maze to see the design.

She said: "It's absolutely incredible. I don't know how you begin to put something like this together. It really does look like Willy Wonka and the BFG. Willy Wonka would have been very proud of this.

"I think Roald Dahl would have been amazed to see it."

The York Maze in tribute to Roald Dahl 100 is open for visitors to explore this summer from today to September 5, when the maize will be harvested and fed to the cows.

The York Maze is believed to be the largest maze in Europe and one of the largest in the world.