It stands more than 12 feet tall, 12 feet wide and 18 feet long. It weighs 10,000 pounds and has tyres which stand the height of a man. It shakes the ground when its engine is started - and on Thursday it rolled into City Hall.

Crowds flocked to Hamilton to see the giant souped-up Chevrolet truck as its crawled into the city for the formal launch of this year's inaugural monster truck event at Kindley Field in June.

Six of the monster trucks, which have been seen on the cable channel ESPN2, and a 35 foot Komoto Dragon "Draco", will be in Bermuda for the three day show from June 7-9.

The enormous truck was shipped in from Ocala, Florida, on Wednesday by owners Joey and Melissa Stathas, and will be going around Bermuda's schools for the next weeks to promote an anti-drug message.

The traditionally macho sport of monster truck racing is still dominated by men though there are only three female drivers in the United States; Bermuda is in for a treat as two of those women will be in Bermuda for the event.

Sports Minister Randy Horton jumped into the cabin to start up the mammoth V8 engine. No sooner had he got in than traffic officer Pc Franklyn Foggo cheekily gave him a ticket for illegally parking at City Hall.

Mr. Horton said his ministry was pleased to support the rally because it was a new event for Bermuda and because it will be used to push an anti-drug message to youngsters.

"I am really pleased to be here to show our support for the initiative to bring a very different yet exciting event to Bermuda," said Mr. Horton.

"It is an event which is geared towards families, and we are very cognisant of the importance of bringing families to (these events) in Bermuda.

"The American Monster Truck Association sends out an anti-drug message and these trucks will be at several schools to get the anti-drug message out to the young people." The event is being organised by Bermuda-based Blue Grass Management Limited and they hope it will become an annual fixture.

Special heavy-duty polyurethane covers, mesh, plywood and sands, are being used to prevent the trucks damaging the grass.

He said although the trucks do roll over very easily, there had been almost no injuries to competitors in ten years.

Mr. Stathas, who built the monster truck himself, he said it can cost between $50,000-$150,000 in parts alone to convert the vehicles.

He told The Royal Gazette: "We go around the churches and schools in America to get the anti-drug and alcohol message across and to persuade the students to stay in school."

The event will also see a cash spin-off for the Bermuda Physically Handicapped Association, the Matilda Smith Williams Seniors' Home, and the Bermuda Autism Support and Education Society.

Tickets for the event cost $35 from sponsors The MarketPlace, and are $45 on the gate.