GCHQ has unveiled a giant artwork of Alan Turing in the middle of its Cheltenham base to mark his appearance on the new £50 banknote.

The intelligence headquarters is also celebrating him being the first gay man to appear on a UK banknote as the new note appears on his birthday and during LGBT+ Pride Month.

Director GCHQ Jeremy Fleming said: "Alan Turing was a genius who helped to shorten the war and influence the technology that still shapes our lives today. He was embraced for his brilliance but persecuted for being gay.

"Turing's legacy reminds us every day that diversity is essential and inclusion is mission critical to our organisation. His appearance on the £50 note is an important moment in ours and this country's history. Turing was and remains a beacon of hope for all who dare to live and think differently."

Turing is considered the father of modern computing, a pioneer in artificial intelligence, and instrumental in breaking the German Enigma code at Bletchley Park - GCHQ's wartime home - during the Second World War.

The 10 metre by 10 metre artwork, created by specialist 3D artist Joe Hill, features an image of Turing inside wheels from the British Bombe, the machine designed by Turing to break Enigma-enciphered messages.

The artwork, which also features 15 hidden codes, will later be donated to a number of organisations chosen by GCHQ's Pride network.

Skylar, Head of GCHQ's Pride Network said: "Alan Turing is a role model for many here at GCHQ and a global icon as an LGBT+ person in the field of science and technology. Though we should never forget the tragedy of his life being cut short, we should always endeavour to learn from his legacy and create a safer and better future for LGBT+ people.

"I am proud to see GCHQ recognising the importance Alan Turing has for LGBT+ people, owning its shared history with our community and doing so in such a public and bold way."

In January 1952, Turing was prosecuted for indecency over his relationship with another man in Manchester. During the trial, Hugh Alexander, the Head of Cryptanalysis at GCHQ, was given official approval to go and speak as a character witness on Turing's behalf, saying in court that he was a national asset. On the 8th June 1954, Alan Turing took his own life.