Couple build 21ft replica of Old London Bridge in living room out of 400,000 Lego bricks

Ross McGuinness
Mike Addis ,63 and wife Catherine Weightman, 58 with their lego display for this Christmas that is of Old London Bridge frost fair. (SWNS)
Mike Addis ,63 and wife Catherine Weightman, 58 with their lego display for this Christmas that is of Old London Bridge frost fair. (SWNS) (James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)

A couple have built a 21ft-long replica of Old London Bridge in their living room out of 400,000 Lego bricks.

Mike Addis, 63, and Catherine Weightman, 58, spent 14 hours a day to complete the construction before Christmas.

It is their 27th massive Lego project, and takes over much of their home in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

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 of the 3ft high model include guards patrolling the pay toll of the bridge and bakers and residents.

Mike Addis ,63 and wife Catherine Weightman,58 lego display for this Christmas is a scene of old London Bridge frost fair . Mike and Catherine from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire have been making lego displays for Christmas for 27 years ranging from well known buildings like Ely Cathedral festive characters like father christmas an angel and the three kings and a lego Dalek. See SWNS story SWCAlego. 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.
The Old London Bridge Lego model built by Mike Addis and Catherine Weightman stretches across their living room. (SWNS) (James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
Mike Addis ,63 and wife Catherine Weightman,58 lego display for this Christmas is a scene of old London Bridge frost fair . Mike and Catherine from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire have been making lego displays for Christmas for 27 years ranging from well known buildings like Ely Cathedral festive characters like father christmas an angel and the three kings and a lego Dalek. See SWNS story SWCAlego. 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.
A detail from the Lego model of Old London Bridge built by Mike Addis and his wife Catherine Weightman. (SWNS) (James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)

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 Fairs which were held when the Thames froze over from the 16th century.

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

Economics teacher Addis 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."

They plan to fit themselves and 12 family members - including young children - around the carefully constructed model for Christmas.

"We have the settees on one side but the heaters are on the other side,” said Addis.

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

One of the Addis family's previous Christmas Lego creations. -Mike Addis and his wife Catherine Weightman with their Christmas cake 2015. (file photo) See SWNS story SWCAlego. 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.
Mike Addis and Catherine Weightman complete a Christmas Lego build every year. (SWNS) (James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
One of the Addis family's previous Christmas Lego creations. The spectacular scale model of Ely Cathedral which Mike Addis and wife Catherine Weightman built in their front room - from Lego blocks. (file photo) See SWNS story SWCAlego. 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.
The couple previously made a scale model of Ely Cathedral. (SWNS) (James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)
Mike Addis ,63 and wife Catherine Weightman, 58 with their lego display for this Christmas that is of Old London Bridge frost fair. Mike and Catherine from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire have been making lego displays for Christmas for 27 years ranging from well known buildings like Ely Cathedral festive characters like father christmas an angel and the three kings and a lego Dalek. See SWNS story SWCAlego. 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.
Mike Addis and Catherine Weightman spent 14 hours a day building a replica of Old London Bridge. (SWNS) (James Linsell-Clark/ SWNS)

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

The couple previously built a huge polar bear and a model of Ely Cathedral.

"Everything is individually made, each house is very different,” said Addis.

"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 6 January.

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