Dorset matchstick model maker appeals for museum to display armada

A master model maker, who has spent 78 years making matchstick navy ships, is appealing for a museum to take on his collection as he prepares to retire.

Phillip Warren, from Blandford, Dorset, is hoping his matchstick armada can go on show to the public.

The 96-year-old, who stopped making the warships a few years ago, was 17 when he started the hobby in 1948.

He has made 544 model ships in total but his current collection stands at 450.

Using matchsticks and matchboxes, he has made a number of models including HMS Daring, HMS Ark Royal, HMS Belfast and HMS Sheffield.

The model maker has been exhibiting his fleet around the country since 1953.

Warren said: "A couple of years ago now, I built a model and wasn't entirely happy with it.

"The standard and particularly the painting, I was finding a bit tricky at my age.

"So I thought there's no good going making things that aren't perfect, so I stopped.

"I rather surprised myself by just being able to do that."

Warren added he now only does one show in Yeovilton, Somerset, each year "which we did last weekend but I so enjoyed showing them at exhibitions and shows".

"They're always very well received and they seem to amuse people a lot and it would be nice if we could find somewhere permanently that people could see them forever," he added.

Warren said he would like somewhere they can be on show rather than being locked away in storage: "I understand most museums have a lot more stuff tucked away in basements.

"But it seems a pity, if they're not going to be seen in shows occasionally, they'll just gradually rot away.

"It doesn't necessarily need to be a museum, there are these sort of visitor centres that have all sorts of other attractions and maybe one of those might be interested."

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