The Matchstick Royal Navy: 70 Years In The Making

A fleet of model Royal Navy ships constructed out of matchsticks has gone on display at Nothe Fort in Weymouth, Dorset.

The collection features one of each class of Royal Navy ship serving since 1945.

It took Philip Warren 70 years and more than one million matchsticks to make the 484 Royal Navy warships.

Mr Warren said: “I happened to be fascinated with war ships, possibly because I was a child during the Second World War.”

He added: “Our whole world was ships and tanks and planes. Our aircraft recognition was excellent, and we knew all about the Royal Navy’s ships of course.”

“After the war in 1948, I finally achieved my desire to build a model war ship.

“I thought at the time it would probably be just the one, and get it out of my system but that hasn’t actually worked.”