A ROMSEY model maker has spoken of the moment he boarded the HMS Queen Elizabeth to present his handmade battleship to the Royal Navy, where it will remain for future visitors to admire.

Richard Stewart was asked by his friend John Salt, who is part of the crew on the aircraft carrier, to construct a model of the ship that held the same name.

Now, the 55-year-old has revealed it was "an honour" to hand over the vessel to captain Angus Essenhigh after spending four weeks creating his masterpiece.

Richard, who lives in Halterworth Lane, said: "I have been model making since I was eight-years-old and I was asked by my friend, who I go to a parkrun with in Fareham, and he asked me if it was possible to build the same ship as the one he is on.

Hampshire Chronicle: The model took Richard four weeks to makeThe model took Richard four weeks to make

"The model is based on a battleship built in 1915, which fought in both world wars and was the first in a line of battleships that were called the Queen Elizabeth class.

"The model itself took a month to build, which is quite fast, and the reason for that is because of coronavirus and the lockdown so that gave me a lot of time to concentrate on the model.

"I have built the USS Nimitz before and that took five years to complete."

He added: "I felt honoured and proud to build this model for the HMS Queen Elizabeth, plus the fact that it will be on full display on the ship means no matter where it goes around the world the model will be always there."

The technical engineer, who is part of the Romsey Modellers club, highlighted the model features actual railings, brass gun barrels, glazed portholes and a wooden deck.

Richard presented his creation to the HMS Queen Elizabeth on September 3.