Bond show licensed to thrill

Bond is currently preparing for his 20th mission

Fans of James Bond will get to walk through a gun barrel and get a briefing from 007's boss M later this month.

The opportunity comes at a special exhibition to mark the 40th anniversary of the first Bond film.

All 19 of 007's missions will be remembered with a range of items, including Oddjob's hat from Goldfinger and the mini jet from Octopussy.

Staged at the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television in Bradford, it will be launched on 23 March by actress Eunice Grayson.

Sean Connery launched 007's silver screen notoriety

She appeared with Sean Connery in the first two Bond movies, Dr No and From Russia with Love.

Organisers are hoping that towering American actor Richard Kiel, who played the terrifying "Jaws" in two of the 007 films, will be appearing at the museum some time in May.

Visitors will also tour Q's gadget workshop and visit the villain's lair, based on the one used in The Man with the Golden Gun, in which Bond's enemy was played by Christopher Lee.

Michael Harvey, the museum's curator, said: "The aim of the exhibition is to show how the Bond films are constructed and how they have endured over four decades."

To support the exhibition, the museum also hopes to host a season of Bond films.

The exhibition runs until 1 September in Bradford.

It will then be on show at its sister institution, the Science Museum in London, from 16 October until April 2003, before touring internationally.