Man makes giant matchstick oil rig

A British man has received a Guinness World Records certificate for the largest matchstick model in the world.

Retired rig worker David Reynolds created the replica of the Brent Bravo oil platform over 15 years, spending £5,000 on materials, the Daily Mail reports.

The 51-year-old said: "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 just started as a bit of a hobby but I guess it got out of hand. I never really gave it much thought but when people came round they'd comment on how incredible it was."

He added: "I suppose I got quite complacent about it. It's good fun and keeps the grey matter working. It wasn't as though I set out to make something so huge but it just grew and grew.

"I wasn't even sure it would all fit together and it was quite nerve-racking when I assembled it. I've had a few museums contact me to say they want to buy it and there's even been an offer from Hollywood."

The model, which is made from 4.75 million matchsticks, is 12ft tall and 21 ft long. It weighs a tonne and had to be split into 14 sections for storage.