Red Dwarf and Robot Wars join the robot revolution at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum

Gizmobots opens on Saturday 20 June and features dozens of Haig's robot creations, fashioned from found objects, recycled materials, and items picked up from car boot sales and scrap yards.

Haig, a qualified electronics engineer, often reappropriates old electronics to turn his 'bots' into functional objects, such as radios and desk lamps.

Each Gizmobot comes complete with a tag explaining his or her personality, likes, dislikes, hobbies and catering requirements.

"I used to sit in front of my parents' electric fire as an eight-year-old child and make robots and spaceships out of cogs, wheels and bits of wood that my Dad brought back from his job as a clock repairer," Haig said.

"Fast forward through the years and I have continued to use these skills to teach about recycling and reappropriating old electronic equipment, so it doesn't just end up in landfill."

The exhibition includes 'The Shed' - an interactive creative space where children and families can design and build Gizmobots from recycled materials.

In addition to Haig's Gizmobots, the exhibition also welcomes Sir Killalot and Matilda - the famous 'house robots' from television's Robot Wars - to Rugby.

To celebrate, the exhibition includes a Robot Warriors arena where visitors can take part in 'one-on-one' robot battles.

And on Friday 10 July, Robert Llewellyn - star of classic comedy Red Dwarf and presenter of Scrapheap Challenge - visits Rugby Art Gallery and Museum for Becoming a Robot, a special 'in conversation' event hosted by BBC Countryfile presenter, Tom Heap.

Tickets for the talk, which starts at 6pm, cost £10 and can be booked online at www.ragm.co.uk/gizmobots 

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum holds a Bits and Bots Family Fun Day on Saturday 20 June to celebrate the launch of Gizmobots.

The free event includes a host of robot-inspired activities and entertainment - and visitors can even learn 'the robot' street dance courtesy of Ascension Dance Company.

Cllr Maggie O'Rourke, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for partnerships, health and wellbeing, said the family fun day was a perfect way to celebrate Father's Day, which falls on the following day.

"Gizmobots promises to inspire and entertain visitors to Rugby Art Gallery and Museum throughout the summer, featuring Mark Haig's wonderfully quirky robot creations, Sir Killalot and Matilda from Robot Wars and a very special guest in Robert Llewellyn, who played the droid Kryten in television's comedy Red Dwarf," Cllr O'Rourke said.

"The exhibition offers plenty of opportunities to get 'hands-on' and creative, whether in The Shed, the Robot Warriors arena or at one of Mark Haig's robot workshops."

Haig returns to Rugby Art Gallery and Museum on Tuesday 4 August to host a series of workshops where creativity collides with invention.

Free, one-and-a-half hour workshops start at 10am, 11.30pm, 1.30pm and 3.30pm, with children (suitable for seven-year-olds and above, accompanied by an adult) able to build a Gizmobot and take it home.

Cllr Neil Sandison, Rugby Borough Council's Liberal Democrat group spokesperson for partnerships, health and wellbeing, said: "We're looking forward to welcoming Kryten from the classic sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, the Robot Wars house robots and Mark Haig's collection of Gizmobots to Rugby for a summer of inventive, creative fun."

Gizmobots runs at the Little Elborow Street venue until Wednesday 9 September.

For more information about exhibitions and events at Rugby Art Gallery and Museum, visit www.ragm.co.uk