One of the most beautiful villages in Cornwall is up for sale for just over £725,000 - but all in miniature in a local's back garden.

The model village in minute detail is nestled behind a family's three-bedroom converted forge in Polperro.

The idyllic community has been dubbed 'Britain's coolest town' where properties are worth a total of £500 million.

But now Polperro Model Village - with pubs, shops and cottage nestled around a harbour - can be bought all in miniature for £725k, which also includes the real full-sized house accompanying it.

The building around the harbourThe building around the harbour (Image: Daniel Dayment/SWNS)

Lee Gregory and his wife Julie, both 58, have been in their house - which is home to the scaled model village - for 37 years.

After moving to Cornwall with his family aged 20, Lee's parents decided to purchase the unique model village in 1984 as a retirement business. 

Lee, who owns and operates the model village, admits he "loved it right from the start" and he took over when he was in his 30s.

He said: "It's been going for a very long time. I was involved with painting and building new houses right from the very beginning.

"My dad was a very good delegator!"

Lee and Julie Gregory have run the model village for 37 years (Image: Daniel Dayment/SWNS)

The model village itself was constructed in 1948 by Jim Beddoes, who Lee says bought the place as a working forge - and then came up with the idea of the model village.

The model village is a 'very very close' representation of the quaint seaside village of Polperro, with a one in 24 scale.

It's accuracy is reflected in its popularity with tourists and locals alike, explains Lee, who owns and operates the model village.

The village includes replicas of Polperro's buildingsThe village includes replicas of Polperro's buildings (Image: Daniel Dayment/SWNS)

It has a model railway and animatronic displays of Cornish folklore including pirates and smugglers.

He said: "People often come in and recognise where they have been!

"They sometimes see our model village first and then look at where they are going to go.

"Back in the day there was no Google Maps or anything like that, so having a bird's eye view is very unique.

"It is quite brilliant how they first designed it, I would have thought it was with iron measurements to measure the scale."

Polperro harbour but in miniature (Image: Daniel Dayment/SWNS)

Lee, who was originally born in Wolverhampton and Julie, a Cornwall local, take pride in how accurate they have kept the model since it started.

One of their particular highlights of the model village is the harbour, which the pair are able to walk to in less than five minutes.

The model village attraction, which currently charges adult visitors £4 and children £3 for entry, is complete with the beautiful beach, as well as its Willy Wilcox cave.

Lee admits there is "nothing challenging" about his quirky collection, and it has left such a positive impact of his life personally and socially.

Lee and Julie Gregory with the Model Village Polperro in Cornwall (Image: Daniel Dayment/SWNS)

He explained: "It is great meeting people on holiday and having a bit of fun and bit of banter with everyone.

"Around 45 per cent come back every year - so we see the same families returning every year.

"When they go to Polperro they have to come see the model village again, and they get community updates trough the model village regarding things that have developed or changed."

Lee finds the project "enjoyable", and says it is "therapeutic to fit some windows and paint some houses!"

Julie is as equally as involved as her husband, as she is responsible for all the flower pots and upholding the greenery in the model village.

Lee added: "She puts a woman's touch to the place and makes it even better, and is a main part of keeping it updated and nice."

The real Polperro harbourThe real Polperro harbour (Image: Daniel Dayment/SWNS)

The couple speak of their delight at living in the beautiful and "brilliant" south west village with a "great community".

Lee, who has been living there for 39 years, says despite their home and model village being up for sale and on the market, the pair would only move up the road.

He added: "We'd never leave Polperro - but its been nearly 40 years and its time, we both want to do something else now and it's time we handed the model village over to someone else, who is going to be enthusiastic and do more with it.

"It's a delightful business and a lovely home we are selling with it too.

"it's gonna be hard to leave but time to move on.

"Whoever buys it I'm hoping I can still be involved to help build houses as an outsider!"

For more information visit www.polperromodelvillage.co.uk or RightMove for property details.