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| Man spends cost of wedding on creating 'massive' Christmas model village | |
| (2 months later) | |
| Paul Gunter, pictured with his partner Joe, has built a huge festive village at his home | Paul Gunter, pictured with his partner Joe, has built a huge festive village at his home |
| A man has built a Christmas model village in his front room out of 67 miniature houses, figurines and carousels. | A man has built a Christmas model village in his front room out of 67 miniature houses, figurines and carousels. |
| It cost a similar amount as a wedding, but Paul Gunter, from Keynsham, near Bristol, said the display, which he started three years ago, was worth it as it boosts his mental health. | It cost a similar amount as a wedding, but Paul Gunter, from Keynsham, near Bristol, said the display, which he started three years ago, was worth it as it boosts his mental health. |
| "Our first display was three or four houses on a small table behind the sofa, this year it is massive," Mr Gunter said. | "Our first display was three or four houses on a small table behind the sofa, this year it is massive," Mr Gunter said. |
| It also includes shops, a pub, Christmas trees, a hot air balloon and windmill. | It also includes shops, a pub, Christmas trees, a hot air balloon and windmill. |
| He started growing his model village after struggling with his mental health. | He started growing his model village after struggling with his mental health. |
| "A few years ago I had a little blip, and I started doing jigsaw puzzles to distract me," he told BBC Radio Bristol. | "A few years ago I had a little blip, and I started doing jigsaw puzzles to distract me," he told BBC Radio Bristol. |
| "This has taken over my puzzles in the winter, and it is just a joy to sit in my chair by the Christmas tree and stare at it." | "This has taken over my puzzles in the winter, and it is just a joy to sit in my chair by the Christmas tree and stare at it." |
| The village cost the couple a similar amount to their wedding | The village cost the couple a similar amount to their wedding |
| Mr Gunter said he can be in his front room "all day" working on the village. | Mr Gunter said he can be in his front room "all day" working on the village. |
| "After I done it, I sit in my chair by the Christmas tree and sometimes I lose myself in it. | "After I done it, I sit in my chair by the Christmas tree and sometimes I lose myself in it. |
| "You just go into the village and my partner Joe laughs out loud and says 'you've been 10 minutes staring'," he said. | "You just go into the village and my partner Joe laughs out loud and says 'you've been 10 minutes staring'," he said. |
| But, all the figurines, lights and houses come at a cost. | But, all the figurines, lights and houses come at a cost. |
| "We're getting married in 2026, and this would probably pay for the wedding," he said. | "We're getting married in 2026, and this would probably pay for the wedding," he said. |
| His partner Joe said one of the most impressive things about the display is "if you were standing in that village yourself, you can access everything, up and down stairs, down the road and around little streets". | His partner Joe said one of the most impressive things about the display is "if you were standing in that village yourself, you can access everything, up and down stairs, down the road and around little streets". |
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