UK couple build 21-foot-long replica of London Bridge in their living room

A Lego-mad couple have spent four weeks working 14 hours a day to create this stunning 21-foot-long replica of Old London Bridge in their own sitting room.

Every year Mike Addis, 63, and Catherine Weightman, 58, build a massive Lego creation in time for Christmas.

And their 27th project has just been completed using 400,000 Lego bricks.

They have recreated Old London Bridge of 1400, one of several bridges which spanned the Thames at Southwark, including 78 houses, 500 mini-figures, a castle and chapel.

Features also include guards patrolling the pay toll of the bridge and bakers and residents.

Their London Bridge model measures 21 foot long and is three foot high.

However it only includes three quarters of the bridge's entire span, as the full size wouldn't fit in the house.

The model was inspired by the medieval Frost Fayres which were held when the Thames froze over from the 16th century.

The couple took four weeks to make the model after starting mid-November and finished in mid-December, sometimes working 14 hour days to complete it in time.

Economics teacher Mike said: "It's probably our most impractical model because it's right through the centre of the room.

"It splits the room in two - there's a foot gap at one end to get around to the other side of the living room.

"We had a party recently with people on one side of the bridge and some on the other.

"Most people are in awe because it's so big."

Mike is now planning to fit himself, Catherine and 12 family members - including young children - around the carefully constructed model for Christmas.

He added: "We have the settees on one side but the heaters are on the other side.

"We have separate Lego for the children to play with."

The couple even visited an existing wooden model of the bridge in St Magnus The Martyr Church, London as part of their research to build the Lego replica.

The couple previously built a huge polar bear and model of Ely Cathedral, they recycle the bricks each time - carefully placing them into colour and size categories when deconstructing.

Mike said: "Everything is individually made, each house is very different.

"Some days we were working 14 hours to get it done.

"You have to be patient. Some of it is quite tricky. To make the curved arches we had to build them with half bricks."

The model will stay up until January 6, when it is traditionally taken down.

The couples love for Lego was spurred from childhood but reinvigorated when a family friend visited with their child and they fetched their Lego from the attic for him to play with.

Mike added: "We realised how much we loved Lego. We do it with friends sometimes - a pal came over one weekend to help us."