Star Trek dad built 40 starships out of LEGO after his little girl challenged him

A man has built an eye-catching display of replica Star Trek spaceships - a project which was inspired by his 11-year-old daughter, Ella.

Dean Tomlinson, a marketing manager, had been watching his favourite show on TV when his little girl made a comment that sparked his passion for LEGO.

Dean explained: “It all started when I was sat in the living room with my daughter, and Star Trek came on the TV. I looked at the ship and said I like that one. My daughter said to me, why don’t you build it daddy? So I sat there and I started building the prototype ship, and from that point I built every ship I ever wanted.”

Lego helps me relax

He describes it as a ‘passion project’ that helps him relax and switch off from his job, but adds that sometimes he will get an idea that prompts him to ‘get up late in the evening’ and start building.

In a special episode of Unconventional Brits, Video journalist Lucinda Herbert visits the Blackpool Brick Festival to discover some of the colourful creations that LEGO enthusiasts have built.

Watch our special LEGO episode of Unconventional Brits at ShotsTV.com now

Dean shows off his impressive collection of starships in a fun-filled episode, which looks inside the world of adult LEGO fans.

Olympic stadium replica

We also meet the sports fan who built a London 2012 replica stadium. Dave Draper explains how his Olympics-themed LEGO build went from just a small project - to a realistic replica that is now 3.5m x 75cm in size and packed full of detail. He explained: “I lost count at 20,000 [bricks]. It’s doubled in size since last year, I just keep finding things to add.”

Dave’s impressive build is admired by kids and adults alike, as he tells punters about some of its’ features - including a replica of the Tower Bridge.

Red Arrows built out of LEGO

The build started with Dave building the Olympic rings - but when an official set of Team GB figures was launched it sparked his imagination. Now, the display includes a Red Arrows display team, a parachuting Queen Elizabeth, a race track and other miniature sports arenas.

Brick Festival

Alana Jemon, one of the Brick Festival crew members, said: “I’ve seen adults come through the doors with all their normal adult worries, and by the end of the day they’ve just sat and played like they did when they were kids.”

A new episode of Unconventional Brits airs every Friday at 7:15pm on Shots! TV - Freeview channel 262.