Grandad builds kids the ultimate playhouse

Grandfather-of-six Gordon Langton, 61, designed and made the two-storey tower on a hill to turn his youngest descendants into lords and ladies of all they can see.

He has named it the Tower of MOB after his three newborn granddaughters Mia, Olive and Betty, but it has already proved to be a hit with their older siblings Arthur, 12, Oscar, nine, and Pablo, seven.

The retired restoration builder, from Presteigne in Mid Wales, said: "As soon as they saw it, the boys were really excited.

"I'd been sending them photos all throughout the build, but when the car pulled up and they saw it they were really chuffed.

"They rushed straight up to it and started playing."

He said: "I built it with the girls in mind for when they grow up, but for now it's the boys' territory."

The castle, made out of light concrete blocks cut like ice blocks from an igloo, took him six weeks to put together.

He covered the outside with stone-coloured shed paint to make it waterproof, and finished the inside with caveman-style animal paintings, a wooden bannister, and carved shields.

"I've had people ringing me up, asking what on earth I'm building now."

He added that the project was also inspired by his family's past.

"I was looking into my family history, and it turns out my great great grandfather lived in the castle folly in Stowe, serving as the farm manager."

The castle's construction has its foundations in more recent family history as well.

Gordon said: "My dad used to go off secretly and make stuff. One winter's day he locked himself away in his shed and would not let anyone in. A few hours later he emerged with a sled he'd made just because it was snowing."