More than 500 years ago workers used bricks, stone and stained glass to build one of rural Norfolk’s most remarkable churches - St Mary’s at Worstead.

And now Mark Thompson is in the midst of a feat some may consider just as impressive. 

He’s building a replica of the church using at least 4,500 Lego bricks. 

North Norfolk News: Mark Thompson with his Lego model of Worstead's St Mary's church inside the real church, pictured with Rev'd David Warner and his dad, David Thompson Mark Thompson with his Lego model of Worstead's St Mary's church inside the real church, pictured with Rev'd David Warner and his dad, David Thompson (Image: Stuart Anderson)

Mr Thompson is 46 and lives in Worstead, and said he had been a fan of Lego all his life.

North Norfolk News: Mark Thompson with his Lego model of Worstead's St Mary's church inside the real church, pictured with Rev'd David Warner and his dad, David Thompson, left. Mark Thompson with his Lego model of Worstead's St Mary's church inside the real church, pictured with Rev'd David Warner and his dad, David Thompson, left. (Image: Stuart Anderson)

He said: “I’ve got a massive collection of Lego, it’s a passion. I think the appeal is that any age can enjoy it.

"Schools now have Lego to play with, and it’s also good for adults' mental health, and also in care homes. It takes you away from iPads and TVs.”

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The church replica is 4ft long and 2ft high and will form the centrepiece of Lego-Con - a celebration of the plastic bricks that will be part of this year’s Worstead Festival on July 28-30.

Mr Thompson said he still had hundreds more pieces to add, including details like stained-glass windows and a graveyard. 

North Norfolk News: Mark Thompson with his Lego model of Worstead's St Mary's church inside the real church Mark Thompson with his Lego model of Worstead's St Mary's church inside the real church (Image: Stuart Anderson)

Mr Thompson and his dad, David, 75, have been putting together the church and the displays for Lego-Con since Christmas. 

He said the event would also feature a fairground with working rollercoasters and carousels, a railway, Star Wars and Harry Potter Lego, with many sets brought by people from around the village.

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Mr Thompson said: “We’ll also have some Lego from the 1960s to show people how much it has changed over the years.”

North Norfolk News: Worstead's St Mary's church, one of the grandest village churches in NorfolkWorstead's St Mary's church, one of the grandest village churches in Norfolk (Image: Stuart Anderson)

He said people in costumes, including from Star Wars, Spider-Man as well as Henry VIII, would be at Lego-Con. 

The event will also feature a tombola, mini-figure hunt and a pop-up cafe, and proceeds from the event will benefit Worstead Primary School.

It will take place in the Queen Elizabeth Hall during the village festival, which runs July 28-30.

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Mr Thompson has three children aged seven to 18 and works as a chef at Fizz and Fromage in Hoveton.