The man who created a 40,000-piece jigsaw and then saw it collapse when it was unveiled has been officially told it is the world’s biggest.
Patient Dave Evans, 63, spent 35 days hand-cutting the giant wooden puzzle to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
The 19ft 6in by 8ft jigsaw includes 33 images of the jubilee celebrations – and slowly slid to the floor days after it was put on show in April.
Dave managed to piece it back together in just four days and it remains on display in the ballroom at Sandringham House in Norfolk.
And now he has received official confirmation in an email from Guinness World Records that his 40,763-piece puzzle is the biggest in the world.
Dave, from Weymouth, Dorset, said: “I’m staggered. The missing piece in my life’s work is now in place.
“When I went to open the email I had quite a few butterflies.
“I was over the moon to see I’d broken the world record. This is what I’ve been working for.”
No record previously existed for the largest hand-cut, wooden jigsaw puzzle and Guinness said for a new entry to be created the work had to be at least 10,000 pieces.
Footage of the jigsaw collapsing has now received more than 100,000 views on YouTube.
The jigsaw is now set to be auctioned off to raise money for the charity Help for Heroes.
