by JAMES MILLS

Last updated at 08:14 05 April 2007

She's watched the movie hundreds of times, seen the West End show and even has a lunchbox featuring the magical flying car.

Now, thanks to her husband and four years of oil, sweat and tears, Carolyn Pointing has her own full-size Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The 42-year-old police constable, who fell in love with the film as a three-year-old, said: "It's a dream come true."

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Husband Nick, 41, a manager for Marks & Spencer, spent every spare minute building his creation using the chassis of an old Land Rover.

Now the couple, from Sandown, Isle of Wight, plan to take a 12-month career break and tour the world with the car raising money for charity.

Mr Pointing said: "I had already taken Carolyn to the London stage show, bought the DVD and a toy model so in a way this was the logical next step.

"Early one Sunday morning as we sat up in bed discussing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I said, 'All right, I'll build you one then!'"

Mr Pointing taught himself how to weld and started work on the car in 2003. The project has dominated their lives ever since.

He said: "Chitty has been our main focus - everything has revolved around it.

"I went to various firms for help, but when they heard I wanted to build a replica of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang they looked at me as if I was a nut. So I've done it all myself.

"It's cost me thousands of pounds but I don't like to think of the final figure. I've also spent most weekends working on the car from dawn to dusk - it's been a real labour of love."

The book of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was written by James Bond author Ian Fleming and published in 1964. The film was released four years later with author Roald Dahl working on the screenplay.

The story is about an eccentric professor called Caractacus Potts, played in the film by Dick Van Dyke, who invents the flying car.

Sally Ann Howes plays Truly Scrumptious, who befriends the professor as they rescue imprisoned children in the land of Vulgaria.

To create his own Chitty, Mr Pointing bought a 1973 Series 3 Land Rover for £100 and stripped it down to the 2.3-litre engine and the chassis.

Then, using stills from the movie and a Corgi model as a guide, he crafted the body of the car using wood from a boatyard and shaped the cylindrical metal bonnet using steel rollers.

Period car parts were acquired at classic car auctions at the National Motor Museum, in Beaulieu, Hampshire, while he also utilised several bits from an old Mitsubishi Galant and parts from a Singer sewing machine.

Lamps from the M&S homeware department were used for the headlights.

The car has a brass fuel tank and its windscreen comes from an MG sports car.

To complete the look, Mr Pointing ordered a set of spoked wheels from Italy costing £1,500 and spent hours in his garage crafting the 6ft redandyellow wings from aluminium.

This week the finished car passed its MoT and the couple are ready for the trip of a lifetime as they drive 12,000 miles to Australia - via India - to raise money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, Multiple Sclerosis Society and the World Wildlife Fund.

The drive is expected to take four months.

Mrs Pointing has collected a huge array of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang memorabilia, including some of the original 1960s merchandise such as pop-up books and board games.

She said her 16-year-old daughter Michelle thinks she is "sad".

"She told me the other day I should get out more."