Good things definitely came in small packages for Reece Douglas with his success in a national dolls house competition.

The ten-year-old was a finalist in the Junior British Miniaturist of the Year 1999, one of the youngest entrants in the competition.

He was presented with a plaque by TV personality Fred Dinage.

His medieval dining room made from scratch was such a hit it is now turning heads in the shop window of Miniature City in Chase Road, Southend.

His mum Jo has had to put a sign on his work saying "not for sale" as so many people have inquired about it.

She said: "Reece is dyslexic but he is very good at art which makes him feel better about his schoolwork.

"It is the woodwork side of his hobby that he enjoys the most and he spends much of his time at the dolls' house shop after school with my partner who owns it."

The Hamstel School pupil already has his sights set on next year's competition and school friends have also shown a keen interest in his hobby.

Finalist - Reece Douglas with his medieval dining room, now on display in a Southend shop

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.