With his exhibition at Gunnersbury Park Museum coming to an end, Jessica Thomas takes a peek into the weird and wonderful world of fiction writer Robert Rankin.

After moving to Brentford from Ealing in 1972, Robert fell in love with the area and decided to base a series of books on the town.

The books, which he describes as far fetched fiction, chronicles the lives of characters based on the interesting people he met in a Brentford pub, the Bricklayers Arms, which features in his books as The Flying Swan.

Robert, 59, said: "The Brentford people that I met in the pubs were just wonderful. They would talk about weird things not just football.

"There was one man who believed the earth was hollow and wanted to plan an expedition to travel to its centre, and another who grew Mandrake on his allotment.

"I used to play in the park when I was a child and it hasn't changed at all in 50 years. I have to say, it is one of the high points in my life being asked to have an exhibition there.

"My wife and I have been married three times. The second time we had a big Victorian themed wedding on the terrace of the museum.

"It was beautifully glorious with all the history and everyone dressed as Victorians."

Robert initially wanted to become an artist, spending time at Ealing School of Art in the 60s where he studied alongside Feltham's own rockstar-to-be Freddie Mercury.

"I remember him being really shy," he said. "I was with them when they named the band Queen."

With his artistic background, Robert started to produce his own sculptures, on display at the exhibition, which pictures decorate the front of his books. His favourites are the shoes with wings and the bondage teapot.

Robert now lives in Brighton with his wife Rachel, Europe's number one female steel pan player, but says he still misses aspects of Brentford.

"There's a lovely village quality to it that you don't get in a city," he said."I am actually very emotional about the exhibition and feel so lucky that they have done that. I love writing and if you love it, the books just write themselves, I just have to hold the pen."

Robert's exhibition will be on display in Gunnersbury Park Museum until the end of June.