TWO Lego-mad youngsters have become part of an elite group of Lego experts after receiving special tuition from the master model builder.

Matt Beckett, aged 11, from Southfield Drive, Westhoughton, and Jordan Harrison, aged 10, from Hurstwood, Sharples, were picked from hundreds of hopefuls to learn Legobuilding secrets from Alex Bidolak — the fulltime Lego builder at the new Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester.

Now Jordan and Matt, along with 14 other children from the North West, are part of a junior master model builder panel.

They were chosen after a competition to build a Lego model on Mr Bidolak’s website.

Matt has a bedroom full of Lego after his mum, Philippa Beckett, also a big fan, introduced him to it when he was two years old.

Mrs Beckett said: “We started with Duplo, just building and making little farm scenes. Then he went on to wanting bigger Lego and that was when mine came out of the loft.”

Matt won his place on the panel with a model of a garden and shed, complete with plants, tools and people.

The shed had an innovative sliding-door mechanism, which Matt designed.

Mrs Beckett said: “He’s doing his SATs at the moment and it’s very stressful. Lego gives him a way of building his own little happy world. He’s very imaginative.”

As well as learning from Mr Bidolak, Matt and Jordan will also help him to improve the centre by telling him what they would like to see there.

Mr Bidolak said: “They all really impressed us with their skill at building Lego models, and we know that they are the perfect ambassadors to pass on my top-secret Lego tips.”

Mr Bidolak drew crowds of youngsters when he taught them how to make a Lego model of the Blackpool Tower at an open day at Bolton Arena in February.