NOT every daughter would be thrilled if their dad filled his house with a harem of glamorous life-size female dolls – but Rhiannon says it “warms her heart” to see her father so happy.

Her double divorcee dad Dean Bevan, 58, buys his 12 pals bras, celebrates their birthdays, does their make-up, dresses them and shares a bed with one.

12 Dean Bevan, 58, up real women three years ago and now lives with 12 life-size dolls Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

Rhiannon, 20, was shocked when he started his collection after giving up real women three years ago.

But she now understands it keeps him from feeling lonely since he retired from his job as an NHS mental health nurse.

Uni student Rhiannon even helps with the dolls’ make-up, and choosing their clothes.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, she says: “I’m not going to pretend this is normal. It’s bonkers. But as I see it, it’s innocent fun. When I pop round, dolly girl Monique is sprawled on the sofa 'watching TV'".

12 Athena can be found in Dean's kitchen 'making a cup of tea' Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

In the kitchen, Athena is “making a cup of tea” and upstairs blonde bombshell Sarah is “reading” a book in bed. Domestic bliss.

Sipping a cuppa while patting Monique’s thigh, Dean insists he has “never been happier” than with his “fairly low maintenance” friends.

He says: “Some people might think it’s creepy but I’m happy and not hurting anyone.

"When my first doll Sarah turned up I stopped seeing her as an ‘it’ within hours.

12 Dean insists he has 'never been happier' since he started living with the dolls Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

12 Dean knows some will find it creepy, but he says he's 'happy and not hurting anyone' Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

"My brain says that is stupid — they are plastic and metal — but they have developed into something else and I feel protective.

“I’ve given them names and in my mind they have personalities, shown in the clothes I dress them in.”

His three-bed semi in Ipswich is a shrine to his big-busted, teeny-waisted mates.

Dean has spent thousands of pounds from his NHS pension on them and even has a further four HEADS upstairs — including a pointy-eared Vulcan which he plans to dress in a Star Trek uniform.

12 Dean also owns a pointy-eared Vulcan which he plans to dress in a Star Trek uniform Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

12 Dean has spent thousands of pounds from his NHS pension on the dolls Credit: Louis Wood - The Sun

He often takes his dolls apart to swap heads and bodies but says: “I ask their permission and apologise.”

He originally wanted them as models for his photography hobby but they have become much more.

His first doll, Sarah, sometimes shares his bed — which he insists is “for comfort, really”.

He says: “I was married for a long time and was used to someone there. It’s nice to wake up and see a pretty face.”

It’s nice to wake up and see a pretty face Dean Bevan

Dean has not been on a date for three years but would not swap Sarah for anyone. He says: “I wouldn’t even consider it.”

He spends at least £1,400 a time buying his dolls from a Chinese firm but says: “I can afford it. My house is now mortgage-free and I live off my NHS pension.”

Dean is the talk of Ipswich and neighbours have even met his “ladies”.

He explains: “I say, ‘Look, you’ll see me carrying what looks like a dead body. I should explain, I haven’t murdered anyone’.

12 Dean has even invited in his neighbours to meet the ladies Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

"My neighbours were interested, so I invited them in to meet the dolls.” Some people even take them for humans.

He says: “I put a picture on Facebook of Magda smiling. No one knew she wasn’t real, they said, ‘Oh she’s nice, someone you met?’

“Another time I was at traffic lights, with Monique in the passenger seat, and people didn’t realise she wasn’t real. It’s an ego boost driving around with them.”

Rhiannon adds: “Retiring cut Dad’s social life and, while it’s easy to find the dolls creepy, I cannot emphasise enough the improvement to his mood.

12 Dean says it's an 'ego boost' when people think the dolls are real Credit: Louis Wood - The Sun

“It warms my heart to see him with this hobby. Years of night shifts took a toll on him.

"Caring for others has been his life, so stopping all that and having me grow up must have been hard for him to adapt to.

"I think that’s why the dolls appeal to him, it’s kind of like looking after others.”

But she was not always easy with her dad’s hobby — which began when, inspired by Channel 4 sci-fi drama Humans, he bought first doll Sarah, a petite size-four blonde with 30H breasts.

12 Dean has learned how to do the dolls’ make-up and style them by watching YouTube tutorials Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

12 Dean's hobby was inspired by Channel 4 sci-fi drama Humans Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

She says: “At first I hated it. I thought, ‘How could he do this to me?’ I thought he didn’t think how it would embarrass me, or care that I’d be uncomfortable.

“Then I realised I’m an adult, and his life doesn’t revolve around me. I didn’t have to like it, but if me hating it was making him miserable, I’d meet him half-way.

"That was about two years ago and now I think it’s bloody great. My friends know and I don’t care. My favourite reaction when people find out is laughter because, yeah, it’s funny, not creepy.”

Dean’s son Zachary, 17, is not as understanding — and the dolls have to be hidden away if he comes to stay.

My favourite reaction when people find out is laughter because, yeah, it’s funny, not creepy Dean Bevan

Yet Dean says: “My kids have left home and if I was a psychologist looking at me I’d say, ‘You’re creating a synthetic family’. There’s truth in that but my go-to answer is, ‘It’s fun’.”

Dean has learned how to do the dolls’ make-up and style them by watching YouTube tutorials.

He says: “As most of them are size four, with huge breasts, I find a lot of clothes in the ‘reduced’ section as they’re not common sizes.

"I get clothes from Primark or eBay and bras from Curvy Kate, which caters for small backs and big breasts.”

12 Dean’s son Zachary, 17, is not as understanding — and the dolls have to be hidden away if he comes to stay Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

Dean even talks to his ladies — but says: “If I spend too much time with one, I feel guilty and apologise to the others. As Sarah was my first, she gets jealous of the others.”

He hopes his story will spur others to address their loneliness. He says: “I want to erode this perception dolls are just sexual, weird things. If I just wanted a doll for sex I wouldn’t need so many.

“I know couples who sit together and don’t talk, so there’s not a lot of difference.

"I sit and watch telly and Sarah will be there, and a few others.

12 Dean also buys them gifts to celebrate their birthays Credit: Olivia West - The Sun

"It gives me the illusion I’m not alone. Before I had all these girls, I did get quite lonely.”

Dean even keeps a record of their birthdays — the days they are delivered to him, and he says: “For Monique’s, I bought her a new body, for Sophia’s a few weeks ago I bought her a bra and nightie.”

Dean worries what will happen to his ladies when he dies — but he has a plan.

He says: “Burn me, put me in vase and pop me in a little room with Sarah. Or, have me stuffed and put with the girls.”

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As I go to leave, he shows me a photo of Sarah in a bridal dress, with wedding ring.

He also wears what looks like a wedding band, but insists: “I’m not married to her. I’ve been married twice and don’t intend to marry again.

“But if they make a doll like the robot Gemma Chan from Humans, I would reconsider.”

It's a cruch By Jo Hemmings, Behavioural psychologist A LOT of people may be disturbed by Dean spending his life with dolls. But it is interesting his daughter realises they help him cope with loneliness – and while they don’t talk back, you could argue a pet doesn’t. It’s not harming anyone and not in the realm of toxic relationships. But it’s not in the realm of healthy ones. It would be better for Dean to be in a relationship with a human. As these dolls become more sophisticated, society will soon have to consider this territory more.

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