The tower block palace

Take the world's most opulent palace and recreate it in a two bedroom council flat: it must rank as one of the most ambitious DIY projects of all time.

And yet, after 17 years of backbreaking, eye-straining dedication, Adrian Reeman has finally achieved his dream of reproducing Versailles on the ninth floor of a Southampton tower block.

While Mr Reeman's Hall of Mirrors might not quite match the splendour of the Louis XIV original, his achievement is all the more remarkable since he has no training in building or design.

And, unlike France's great Sun King, the 53-year- old cleaner has done the whole thing for next to nothing.

His wardrobes, chairs, panels and ceilings have all been crafted from wood which he has been recovering from builders' skips ever since this obsession developed in 1986.

'To be honest, there was just copper wallpaper everywhere which was just awful,' says Mr Reeman, a former Merchant Navy chef.

'I started panelling the walls and it all took off from there. I haven't used any particular kind of wood, just anything I can get my hands on.

'It's been a real labour of love over the years. I couldn't stop until it was all finished. Strangely, there are times when I wish I'd never started this whole project because I couldn't rest until it was finished.' Now, though, he feels that Southampton can look Paris in the eye.

'It is just the same as the Palace of Versailles - but a little bit less roomy,' he declares, although he must be grateful that he does not have to contend with the three million people who traipse around the original each year.

His wife, Annette, 60, is delighted with the result: 'I'm very proud of what he has done. It would be great if he could find work with his skills. He has more talent than he can demonstrate as a cleaner.'

Now the couple's only fear is that they may have breached the council's strict policy of ensuring that tenants return properties in their original state.

'There's no way I could put this place back to how it was,' says Mr Reeman. 'But it's certainly better than living in your average council flat and if the block were privatised, I would try to buy my little palace.' Better still, how about getting the neighbours to rally round and turn the whole building into another Eiffel Tower?