480,000 matchsticks that is - all lovingly and precisely stuck together and in many cases sanded down to build a quite remarkable version of a Dalek.
Pictured here in the Telegraph, Brian Croucher of Bognor Regis built his home built matchstick Dalek - all 5' 3" of it - for 2 hours every day over two years.
"I spent an hour or maybe two on it at a day because I have a bad back and it is difficult sitting still for such a long time," said Mr Croucher, a retired electroplater. "Besides, it can be a tedious business."
"I made a frame at the bottom and got the shape right and just went on from there. I stick the matches together in little blocks and then gradually build them up. My wife hands me the matchsticks and I put them together.
"The hardest bit was the little bubbles on the body because they have to be rounded. There are 56 of them and each one had to be built up and then sanded off."
Thanks to some electronics, the Dalek even barks "EXTERMINATE" - and was built with quite a few £5 bags containing 10,000 matchsticks each. Brian plans to build a 6' wing span Spitfire fighter plane next, and is listening to offers for the Dalek.
