AS a child Alan Beresford was fascinated by seaside arcades and waxwork museums.

So much so as an adult he turned his shed into a workshop so he could create his own.

Now his creation - nicknamed the Bemusement Arcade - is in the running for an annual shed of the year competition.

Hundreds of entries were submitted for the Cuprinol Shed of the Year 2020.

They have now been whittled down to a shortlist of 27 across nine categories.

The winners will be decided by a public vote, with a panel of experts deciding on the overall winner after voting closes on August 9.

The overall winner will receive £1,000, a plaque and £100 of Cuprinol products.

Alan's shed, in Essex, is a finalist in the 'unexpected category'.

He said: "As a youngster on holiday I was always fascinated by seaside arcades and waxwork museums with their slightly disturbing animated machines and creepy figures.

"So, when I retired I built this shed as a workshop in which to try my hand at making some of these fun but disquieting things from my childhood memories.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

"My first (and probably best) attempt was making a Fortune Telling machine, followed by a diorama depicting my interpretation of Louis Stevensons Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

"In the 5 years since then, I've got a bit carried away and my contraptions have filled the shed and spilled out into the house and garage.

"So now I've had to convert another shed into my workroom, with this one now a place to sit with a drink or two, surrounded by my own imagination, in the Bemusement Arcade.

"I added the veranda to my shed in order to display an early 1960s funfair dodgem that Id restored.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

"But, due to one of my all-too-regular DIY miscalculations, while the veranda was wide enough to house the dodgem, I couldn't get the doors open!

"So, during daylight hours, the veranda remains a peaceful place to sit with a cuppa and contemplate Nature, but as the sun goes down and the lights go on, the Bemusement Arcade comes to life."

Head judge and founder of the competition Andrew Wilcox said: “More than ever, the events of recent months have shown us what a valuable role sheds can play in our lives.

“They are spaces where we can help our NHS heroes, educate our children and care for our family.

“They highlight all that is great about Britain – our ingenuity, our eccentricity and our determination to help others.”

Last year’s competition was won by Chris Shield of Buxton, Derbyshire, whose Hobbit-inspired hideaway was described by Mr Wilcox as “brilliantly creative”.