
A father-of-four from Utah has amazed wizarding fans by hand crafting a miniature to-scale version of the entire Harry Potter world in his living room.

Tony Rigby, 47, tells DailyMailTV that this hobby began last year when he spotted a character in his Christmas village arrangement that looked just like the giant Hagrid from the films.

He used some clay to transform the figure - and before he knew it he'd completely recreated the giant's hut from cardboard boxes, quick dry clay and paint - all in amazing detail.

Talented and completely self taught, Tony has made the Knight Bus, the Whomping Willow, Gringott's Bank, a tiny Quidditch pitch, and is halfway through completing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

'I joke that it's a bit of a midlife crisis for me. Some people buy a Corvette - and some people just make a Harry Potter world in their living room. I'm the latter,' he says.

Tony Rigby, from Bluffdale, Utah, has spent the last year creating a to-scale version of Harry Potter world right in his family's living room

He tells DailyMailTV that he is about halfway done with Hogwarts but still needs to add some railings and battery-powered torches to the Great Hall base to make the figure come to life

The married father-of-four has made the Knight Bus, the Whomping Willow, Gringott's Bank, a tiny Quidditch pitch and his most intricate work - Diagon Alley (pictured)

The Burrow - the ramshackle home of the Weasley's (pictured) - took him a couple of months, and then he started work on Hogsmeade Village, including all the shops and homes

He says it all started when he spotted a character in his Christmas village arrangement that looked just like the giant Hagrid from the film. He was inspired to create the giant and his hut

Tony is married to Sanetta, 43, and has daughters Aysha, 18, Alexis, 16, and London, 11, as well as son Boston, 13

Tony, a married business consultant, has been working on the project for more than a year and has made the Forbidden Forest and Hogsmeade Train Station.

He's also created Diagon Alley - the cobblestoned wizarding shopping alley - and Hogsmeade Village, complete with the student's favorite shops.

The Burrow - the ramshackle home of the Weasley's - took him a couple of months to complete with intricate detail.

Almost all of his creations are in 1/87th scale and include miniature characters such as Buckbeak, Dobby and Hagrid.

Tony joked that this hobbny is his version of a 'midlife crisis' and expects that his creation will take another year or so to complete.

He says he's hoping to add the Dursley's home and Platform 9 3/4 , and eventually put it on show somewhere it could bring joy - like a hospital or retirement home.

Tony, from Bluffdale, Utah, says: 'It's a bit of a midlife crisis. That's the only way I get permission to take over the house.

'I think it's one of those things I had to do. I have a wonderful family. I was looking for another measure of fullness in life. That's not to say that I don't get that from my family because I do, but this is something creative and I was looking for a creative outlet to enhance my enjoyment of life.'

Tony says he wasn't 'as upbeat about life' at the time he took up the hobby.

'Everyone has good days and bad days. I wouldn't say I was depressed but I wasn't finding as much fulfillment in life as I wanted,' he says. 'Thankfully I have a very patient and tolerant wife who lets me do it.'

Tony uses clay, cardboard boxes and paint to make his creations, including this Dementor floating in front of the nearly-completed Hogwarts

Harry and Hagrid are depicted in Daigon Alley in his recreation. For the characters, Tony often uses a readymade figure - such as a Christmas decoration - which he modifies with clay and paint, and cuts to size

The blue car stuck in the Whomping Willow tree came from the second installment of JK Rowling's books The Chamber of Secrets, which was depicted in the film of the same name

Tony joked that this hobby is his version of a 'midlife crisis' and expects that the creation will take another year or so to complete

Tony, who had previously made a Christmas village for his family, started the project last September.

'I did Hagrid's hut - 2ft by 2ft - and I thought ''wow I could expand this'' so I did the Forbidden Forest,' he says.

He says he was immediately 'hooked' and 'knew I had to do the whole world.'

But his wife wasn't initially on board.

'My wife was kind of scared. She could see how much space it was going to take up. Then I told her I thought Hogwarts could be 6ft across. Then she got really nervous.'

He needed more room for his creation so he sold the sofa in the family's living room to make more room - and has taken over a bedroom to make and store his magical world.

'I spread it out over months because I have a real job and obviously spend free time with family. But this kind of has been the focus of my free time,' he says.

First he spent two weeks making Hagrid's Hut before embarking on a project to make the adjacent Forbidden Forest. He then turned his attention to Hogsmeade Train Station and then Diagon Alley, which took him three months.

The Burrow - the ramshackle home of the Weasley's - took him a couple of months, and then he started work on Hogsmeade Village, including all the shops and homes.

And during the entire project he has been working on the pièce de résistance - Hogwarts, the school of witchcraft and wizardry.

The Utah father has made some of the most iconic characters including Harry, Hermione, Ron (pictured running down a hill), Hagrid, three of the Weasleys and Dobby

Tony has recreated the iconic Hogsmeade Train Station from the books and film where students board the Hogwarts Express to head to the school of witchcraft and wizardry

Tony revealed that he's always had a love for Harry Potter because it lifts his spirits and he's now found love in doing this. Pictured is the hill and Whomping Willow from the films

Rigby has recreated the Forbidden Forrest and its creatures, including this giant spider, with intricate detail

Tony says his favorite area to make has been Diagon Alley because it took so much effort. 'With great effort usually comes great reward,' he says

For the characters, he often uses a readymade figure - such as a Christmas decoration - which he modifies with clay and paint, and cuts to size.

Some of the buildings are made with cardboard skeletons, and he uses air dry clay to add stone and brick detail, with balsa wood for the window frames and wooden features.

Many of the materials are recycled every day items, but others he gets from local hobby shops.

But for the first time, he has been using 3D printing to make the raw unfinished larger pieces of the castle which he then renovates and adds to.

'All the rest has been from scratch but Hogwarts is so complicated and intricate, I have been doing that with a friend who has helped me with the 3D printer,' he says.'I have the Great Hall and I'm through with the large tower.

'For the Great Hall, for example, you can see the rafters with the little gargoyles. I have done windows that look like etched glass and will be lit up.'

He says he uses small battery powered lights that flicker like a torch.

Some the buildings are made with cardboard skeletons, and he uses air dry clay to add stone and brick detail, with balsa wood for the window frames and wooden features

He hopes to eventually showcase his work in a children's hospital or assisted living place, which has given him 'enthusiasm to get it really finished,' he says

Tony revealed that he's always had a love for Harry Potter because it lifts his spirits.

'I've always loved it. I love the books and the movies. I've always been artistic. I found I love doing this,' he says.

He is still to complete the rest of the world - including Kings Cross platform 9 3/4 and the rest of Hogwarts. He says he'll probably also make locations like Harry's aunt and uncle's house and of course all the main characters.

'I've done all of the main characters - Harry, Ron and Hermione - three of the Weasleys, tiny little Dobby,' he adds.

Tony says his favorite area to make has been Diagon Alley because it took the most effort. 'I go back and read the books looking for little details to add.'

The family are planning on moving next year, and Tony has his heart set on a new home with a massive basement for his creation.

He says he thinks it will take one or two more years to complete but admits he might never be done - and might keep adding more and more parts of the Harry Potter world.

'Now I have this idea of it helping a children's hospital or assisted living place, that has given me a new found enthusiasm to get it really finished,' he says.