SALISBURY’S matchstick man Barry King has already used over a quarter of a million matches creating his crafty cathedral.

Mr King started working on his goal to break the Guinness world record for the biggest matchstick model just over a year ago and has already used more than 250,000 matches and spent more than £1,000 on matches, glue and equipment.

He estimates it will take 15 years to equal the current record held by David Reynolds, who created a replica of the Brent Bravo oil rig using 4.75 million matches, and another year or two after that to beat it.

He is making Salisbury Cathedral and hopes to have the West Front – which will be 3ft by 2ft – finished by the end of this year, so it can go on display at the cathedral next year to tie in with the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.

Mr King has to find time to work on his model around a full time job, decorating his mother’s house and taking exams to qualify as a plumber.

He said: “There have been times when I have thought ‘what have I let myself in for?’ but I’m getting addicted to it. I go to bed thinking about what I’m going to do next, but I’m enjoying it.”