And finally… Architects crowdfund to build £1.85bn Lord of the Rings replica in England

A group of architects has launched a crowdfunding campaign in the hopes of raising almost £2 billion in order to build a lifesize replica of Lord of the Rings city Minas Tirith in the south of England, reports The Telegraph.

If they manage to raise the sum within the 60 day limit, fans will then have the chance to live or work in the creation, whose original version was laid siege to by the full forces of Mordor in The Return of the King.

The campaign’s leader, Jonathan Wilson, has estimated building costs of £15 million for land, £188m for labour and £1.4bn for materials.

Any money left over after the project is finished after 2023 will be used for “maintenance and public services” until 2053.

“We are an ambitious team of architects and structural engineers who are passionate about creating a beautiful, inspirational and fully-functioning replica of Peter Jackson’s depiction of Minas Tirith, as seen in his Lord of the Rings films,” Wilson wrote on the campaign’s IndieGoGo page.

“We all share a love of Tolkien’s work, and a desire to challenge the common perception of community and architecture. We believe that, in realising Minas Tirith, we can create not only the most remarkable tourist attraction on the planet, but also a wonderfully unique place to live and work.”

Rewards for those who donate to the campaign range from a follow on Twitter (£3) to being made a Lord or Lady of the city, with use of a horse-drawn carriage to transport their family (£100,000).

After 12 days, the total raised rests at just over £12,000.