Cutting commences in Derbyshire firm's giant jigsaw world record bid

Gary Szillat starts cutting the pieces from MDF wood

A Derbyshire firm hopes to set a world record by creating the largest ever hand-cut wooden jigsaw puzzle - made of 120,000 pieces and stretching a third of a mile (0.5km) from end to end.

Alfreton-based Just Jigsaws Ltd has set itself the "mammoth task" of crafting the colossal puzzle by Christmas.

The company said it had previously held the largest jigsaw record in 1971 and now hopes to reclaim it.

It also wants the project to raise cash for Sheffield Children's Hospital.

Just Jigsaws director Tony Trowsdale said: "My father John, who founded the company, set the record for the largest hand-cut jigsaw and we'd quite like it back.

"He passed away in 2016 and we are doing this in his memory. The record is 101,000 pieces but we aim to go bigger.

"It's a mammoth task. No two pieces will be the same and each one will be individually cut using the same skills and methods my father used all those years ago."

The company's 1971 record-setting puzzle was lost during a trade mission to the United States

Mr Trowsdale said mystery shrouded the fate of the hand-crafted 1971 puzzle, which showed a Swiss Alpine cottage and was made up of 32,000 pieces.

"It was quite a sight so the British Federation of Trade decided to take it to an event in San Francisco," he said.

"But it got lost on the docks and hasn't been seen since. I can't be sure but it's probably part of a private collection somewhere."

The picture on the new giant jigsaw has not been finalised yet but local companies are being asked if they would like to feature on it in return for sponsorship with proceeds going to the children's hospital.

Tony Trowsdale (left) and son John said they were confident their creation would break the world record

The current holder of the Guinness World Record for Largest Jigsaw Puzzle - hand-cut (most pieces) is held by Jill Walterbach, from the US, whose 2021 creation measures 22m (72ft) by 3m (9.8ft).

Just Jigsaw's new contender will be just 12in (30cm) in height but will run a considerable distance further lengthways.

Mr Trowsdale's son John, who also works at the family-run company, said: "We've not actually worked out where we'll put it when its finished. It'll be very long. We might need a car park."

"We have it planned, we are confident we can do it but we are on a wing and a prayer - mistakes can happen.

When asked what his grandfather would think of the current giant jigsaw, John said: "He'd probably want to make it bigger."