Jail house! Pensioner, 74, uses an old prison van he bought for £250 to create a unique summer house for his wife that he transformed himself in five months for just £750

• Retired grandfather builds outhouse for his wife out of an old £250 prison van
• Graham Skidmore, of Barrow Hill, Worcestershire furnished it for just £750
• Former motor trade worker Mr Skidmore made the outhouse for wife Sandra

A retired Grandad built a unique summer house for his wife out of an old prison van.

Graham Skidmore, 74, of Barrow Hill, Worcestershire wanted to create somewhere for him and his spouse of 54 years Sandra to unwind.

But when he was quoted £42,000 for a conservatory or £12,000 for an outbuilding, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Graham Skidmore, 74, of Barrow Hill, Worcestershire wanted to create somewhere for him and his spouse of 54 years Sandra to unwind

Mr Skidmore snapped up the prison van which was used transport inmates from prison to courts for just £250.

He was then able to furnish it for £750 meaning the whole DIY project cost just £1,000.

Sandra, 75, joked: ‘I hope he doesn’t lock me and throw away the key.

‘Not after all this time.’

Proud Graham said: ‘The position is superb.

When Mr Skidmore was quoted £42,000 for a conservatory or £12,000 for an outbuilding, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He snapped up the prison van which was used transport inmates from prison to courts for just £250

‘Those views are more open than the views we get from the windows in the house.

‘I go out there now and with half an hour’s sun in the winter, the place is warm and I’ve fallen asleep in there three times.’

Father-of-four Graham came up with idea so Sandra could have somewhere to rehabilitate after knee surgery in the grounds of the remote country cottage.

The prisoner transporter used to boast five cells and a latrine running down the middle.

Father-of-four Graham came up with idea so Sandra could have somewhere to rehabilitate after knee surgery in the grounds of the remote country cottage. The prisoner transporter used to boast five cells and a latrine running down the middle

Over five months, former motor trade worker Graham then stripped it bare – while keeping some of its original features – before haggling and borrowing to furnish it.

‘My wife has wanted a conservatory for years,’ he recalled.

‘We got a quote and it came out at about £42,000 and I said ‘Thank you very much but no thank you’.’

‘And summerhouse would be about £12,000.’

So he set about making his own using his own – with a twist.

‘I rang around several horsebox firms, I was in the industry for years so I rang a few friends to try and get one of these glasonite containers,’ he added.

‘They are built very lightly to take more weight when they are carrying horses.

Over five months, former motor trade worker Graham then stripped it bare – while keeping some of its original features – before haggling and borrowing to furnish it. The finished outhouse is pictured above

‘Everyone I spoke to said they didn’t have any of the size I wanted. They were all about 20ft long.

‘I would have to cut it down and a lot more work.

‘But one guy said ‘I tell you what I have got, I’ve got a prison van container just up the road from you.

‘I thought that’s going to be dreadful.

‘I let it fly for a week and then thought I’d go and have a look

‘When I went down, there were 20 all in a row. I thought that is exactly what I want.

‘I bought it there and then for £250.’

He helped position it in his garden thanks to his neighbour and his tractor.

Over five months, former motor trade worker Graham then stripped it bare – while keeping some of its original features – before haggling and borrowing to furnish it’. My wife has wanted a conservatory for years,’ he recalled. He is pictured above with wife Sandra

‘This container was three-and-a-half tonne. A glasonite would not have been a tonne.

‘We had to strip it out. Some of the stuff was unbelievably built but it to carry the inmates.

Graham decided to keep two, heavy duty prison doors and a hatch that the prison guard driver would have used to speak to the prisoners. 

Graham used his and his son’s old patio doors.

‘I went to the garden centre there was a corner of reduced stuff,’ he added.

‘I saw this rattan coffee table. I told the manager what I was doing. It had a £160 price on it. It was from a £2,000 set.

‘I was a bit cheeky and said would you take £50 for it and she said ‘Okay’

‘I almost fell over backwards.’

He continued: ‘One day it was belting down with rain. And I saw it as I drove past and I saw the sofa outside a neighbours house.

Mr Skimore was then able to furnish it for £750 meaning the whole DIY project cost just £1,000. Sandra, 75, joked: ‘I hope he doesn’t lock me and throw away the key. Not after all this time’

‘It must have been there two days.

‘I left it in my garage for about four weeks for it to dry off.

‘So that cost me nothing.

‘The carpet was from my son’s house because he got a new one. It was only 18 months old.’

He added: ‘It’s not been easy. But it has quite amazed me.’

‘Sandra can have a cup of tea, watch the squirrels, listen to the birds and relax.

Retired MoD clerical officer Sandra said: ‘It’s definitely got character to it.

‘It’s positioned to look at the views over three counties, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire.

‘It’s absolutely stunning.

‘I never thought it would turn out like this.’

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