Forget the Taj Mahal or Empire State Building. He chose the Brent Bravo North Sea oil rig. John Major was still prime minister when Mr Reynolds began in 1994 and he has spent 32,000 hours creating what is now officially the world's biggest matchstick model. Apart from costing him £5,000 in wood and glue, it has left things a bit strained in the Reynolds household. The model weighs a tonne, is 3.6m (12ft) tall and 6.4m (21ft) long and at one stage had to be split into 14 sections. 'It just started as a bit of a hobby but I guess it got out of hand,' said retired oil rig engineer Mr Reynolds, 51. 'People sit in front of the television for five or six hours a night but I get bored, so I'd just nip off for a few hours here and there to work on it. 'It's good fun and keeps the grey matter working. 'I've had a few museums contact me to say they want to buy it and there's even been an offer from Hollywood.' Wife Julie, 49, is less effusive. 'I am absolutely sick to death at the sight of a matchstick but I think there is still more to come, unfortunately,' she said from their Southampton home. 'But at least I know where he is and what he's doing, so I'd rather have him there than down the pub.' It beats the previous Guinness world record for a matchstick model held by a 3.5million match replica of the Titanic. Mr Reynolds has already started work on an armada of ships.
No comments:
Post a Comment