A LEIGH man is preparing to go to war with a robot -- built from scrap computer parts.

Don Weir will roll his robot into the battle arena on Friday as BBC2's favourite slice of remote control carnage hits the screens again.

Medusa 2000, built by Don and friends Graham Baron and his son Mark, will star in the cult series "Robot Wars".

The monster, which boasts fearsome rotating blades and a lifter to flip the opposition, was built from scrap computer parts at Don's home in Beechfield Drive.

And it was second time lucky for the computer engineer whose 1999 attempt did not make it through auditions.

Don, 46, was pushed into building the robot by his children Eleanor, 16, Emma, 11, and Alex, six -- all fans of the programme.

It took three months, and £1,000, for Don, ex-colleague Graham, 44, and Michael, 15, from Middleton, to prepare Medusa for hostilities.

More than 1,000 hopefuls applied for a space on series four, 320 of whom made it through to the first qualifying round.

However, the Leigh team will have their work cut out. Medusa, a metre long and weighing 80 kilos, is up against series three champion, Chaos 2, as well as fearsome flame throwers and the house robot Shunt in their heat.

Don said: "The contest was held in London in August. I won't say what happens because my children will see the action, along with viewers, for the first time on Friday. People will have to tune in to see who the victor is."