JIM Tattersall used a lifetime’s experience to create a lifesize model of a carpenter for a Little Lever firm’s new showrooms.

Jim, a retired ventriloquist, had also seen examples of his work heading across the Atlantic with the world famous Ripley’s Believe it or Not museums commissioning several of his model village scenes to be displayed in their museums.

Jim was a former model maker at Haigh Hall in Wigan where his model village there became a renowned attraction. Parts of that display had been sent over to America including a church wedding scene, a farmyard scene and a train complete with passengers.

He said: “I am delighted that they are not going to waste away. They would have otherwise just remained at Haigh Hall and eventually been thrown away.

“I have just renovated them and sent them to American knowing they will still be appreciated.”

But Jim’s latest creation back in 1993 was one of his biggest.

The lifesize carpenter was destined for Millington’s new doors’ showroom on Market Street, Little Lever.

The model took around three months to complete and was built from a collection of tin cans, elastic, old belts and other waste material which many people might just throw away but for Jim were ideal.

Jim had managed to build in about 10 different movements into the figure. It could beckon people to the store window, wink, smile and even managed to point customers towards the doors in the showroom.