IT CONTAINS more than 2,000 individual pieces, features a wave machine and has a top-deck garden.

After seeing it pass his bedroom window, one Southampton boy decided to reconstruct his favourite ship.

Ben O’Donnell has spent three months building the Independence of the Seas in his own bedroom. The ten-year-old, of Bitterne, says he has always wanted to be a ship captain, and has been fascinated by the vessel ever since it passed his house.

The real cruise vessel is 339 metres long, 15 decks high and can carry more than 4,000 passengers, belonging to holiday company Royal Caribbean.

Ben decided to make the craft the latest in a line of LEGO ship reconstructions that feature throughout his bedroom.

When the photos of the end product were posted online, the holiday company decided to get in touch and invite his family on board.

Ben, of Sholing Junior School said: “I just love LEGO and all its possibilities. I started building when I six and I’ve never stopped.”

The ten-year-old often sees ships sail past his bedroom window, and says he has always known he wanted to captain a vessel one day.

Ben said: “I see them come by and I just fell in love with them. One day I want to be captain of a ship, and the Independence is certainly my favourite one.

“I’m really excited to meet the captain and go onboard. It will be a dream come true for me and my family.”

Ben’s mum Gemma, 34, said: “This one has taken him at least three months¸ and although I couldn’t say exactly, certainly more than 2,000 pieces.

“I’m very proud of him and I think the finished article is a brilliant piece of work.”

After the photos were posted online, they were spotted by Royal Caribbean, who offered Ben the chance to meet the captain of the ship on board.

Mario Bounas, marketing director said: “We were really impressed when we saw Ben’s extraordinary LEGO model of our much-loved family ship on the Royal Caribbean Facebook page, and can’t wait to welcome Ben and his family onboard.”