Read Time:4 Minute, 27 Second

#MTNshortz3sixtyworld

Now it’s TURBOT-charged! Father, 44, spends 10 months transforming an old Nissan Micra into a giant FISH TANK for outside his home

A father who spent 10 months transforming an old Nissan Micra into a giant fish tank has finally unveiled his masterpiece.

Andy Tate used recycled newspapers to make papier mache filler for the car before lining it with fibre glass.

The 44-year-old, from Consett, County Durham, has also installed LED lighting for the tank, which contains koi, goldfish, perch and shubunkin.

Andy set himself the challenge of creating the tank last summer and has had all of the materials, including the car, donated to him by local businesses.

A father who spent 10 months transforming an old Nissan Micra into a giant fish tank has finally unveiled his masterpiece

The 44-year-old, from Consett, County Durham, has also installed LED lighting for the tank, which contains koi, goldfish, perch and shubunkin

Mr Tate (pictured) says creating a fish tank out of a car has been a dream of his since his childhood

The madcap idea has raised a few eyebrows among neighbours and passers-by on Andy’s street.

Andy, who has the fish tank in his garden, said: ‘I wanted to do something that had never been done.

‘Turning a car into a fish tank is something I have always wanted to do even as a kid, but I have got no idea where it comes from.

‘The car is a cross between a water feature, an aquarium, a fish tank and a pond.

‘People just think I am crackers. A few people who did not know what it was have seen it and been quite shocked.

‘It is not what you expect. The bin men were here yesterday and four of them stopped to take photos – it is a bit of a distraction.’

Andy set himself the challenge of creating the tank last summer and has had all of the materials, including the car, donated to him by local businesses

Andy's first job was to completely strip the vehicle of its seats, electronics and dashboard — Andy’s first job was to completely strip the vehicle of its seats, electronics and dashboard

His next job was to make the vehicle water-tight, which he achieved by filling the car with papier mache (pictured) and then lining it with fibre glass

The final part of Andy's creation was to fill the car with water, which he achieved using his garden hose — The final part of Andy’s creation was to fill the car with water, which he achieved using his garden hose

Andy said he has been obsessed with fish since he started visiting aquatic shops when he was four-years-old.

He said: ‘I got my first fish tank at the age of 12 and I was told I couldn’t get anything bigger until I got my own house.

‘I went stupid after that. I kept this really unusual cat fish.’

Andy said he has built close to 1,000 fish tanks over the years, his biggest being 12ft by 4ft.

He said: ‘We have all got a connection with fish as we were all fish at one point swimming around in our mother’s womb. We will stop and look at them because we are curious – they are also a health benefit.’

Andy said he had always wanted to create a fish tank in a car after seeing a picture of one on the internet, however it was too expensive to make.

That’s when he decided to challenge himself and see if he could make the entire fish tank for free.

The car was donated by Burnopfield Metals and delivered to by Stanley Autos Recovery delivered it to Consett.

Andy said he has been obsessed with fish since he started visiting aquaticshops when he was four-years-old

The madcap idea has raised a few eyebrows among neighbours and passers-by on Andy's street — The madcap idea has raised a few eyebrows among neighbours and passers-by on Andy’s street

RCH Property Maintenance provided fibreglass and expanding foam and graffiti artist Dan Walls, spray painted the car.

Andy, who works as a warehouse operator at a pet shop called The Feed Warehouse, said: ‘I contacted some local firms and negotiated free materials and services from them and in return we would give them a mention on our channel.

‘Quite frankly, they looked at me and thought I was nuts, but with their support, and help from friends, we got everything we needed for free to pull this project together.

‘They probably gave me the stuff just to make me go away.’

In his spare time, Andy runs a You Tube channel called Dramatic Aquatics which offers advice about keeping fish and making fish tanks and ponds.

He admits he is wary about keeping them outside in his garden overnight in case one of the windows are broken by vandals.

Andy said: ‘It is just about being a bit silly and taking my hobby a bit further.

‘I am hoping to give it different looks over the next few months. I will put skeletons in for Halloween and the there will be Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter.

‘I might even do a football one if England do well with artificial grass and football goals.’