Mice living in adorable Hobbit-style hand-crafted model village become YouTube stars

Video shows what life is like in this quirky mini-village, which has all been hand-crafted in a back garden. Simon Dell began making the mini Shire in spring 2018 when he spotted a wild mouse and wanted to protect it from nearby cats.

Protecting mice from predators

The photographer started the project 6 years ago, when he piled some small logs around a box as a home for the mouse and covered it with moss and straw to give him a little shelter. He added some wire fencing around the fence so there was no way the cats could get to the mouse - and even gave him a name - George.

Creative garden project

As more mice entered the garden, the wildlife photographer began adding more to the tiny houses, fashioning detailed dining tables, washing lines, motorbikes and even a weights set for the adorable rodents.

Social media sensation

Simon said: "The mice seem to love the log pile homes and wasted no time in moving in.” He sits a couple feet away with a zoom lens, as they pop in and out of the tiny huts - and has become a social media sensation with over 152k followers.

50 year old Simon documents daily village activities across his social media channels (George the Mouse in a log pile house). He said: "Without photography and the fun of making little things for little things, I could soon sink back in to deep depression.

"Photography gave me a reason to get up and out again and the mouse village gave me back my smile. I hope it gives others the same joy it gives me."