IT'S taken 14 long months to build, has its own restaurant, bar and lounge and now the boat Terry Smith painstakingly created is about to set sail.

The 21tonne, 51ft craft called Candlelight has been a labour of love for Mr Smith, of Woodfield-side, Blackwood.

The 54-year-old chef has put in 12 hour days, seven days a week at the Cled Williams bus depot in Pengam to carry out all the fabricating, welding, carpentry and electrical work needed on the impressive vessel.

It comes complete with a 12-seater restaurant, a bar and lounge, living quarters, a commercial kitchen, a sundeck and a viewing lounge.

Mr Smith and his wife Elaine will use the boat to host cruises up and down the River Thames under the banner of Candlelit Cruises. They also run longer trips to annual events such as the Henley Regatta Festival.

Mr Smith said: "I have been building boats since I was 19. I started off with a speedboat and it has progressed in size from there.

"I'm a carpenter and I have always been fascinated by boats. I took a course in fabricating and working as a chef. I used to build the boats by day and cook in Rumours restaurant, which I used to run in Cross Keys, during the evening.

"About five years ago, my wife and I decided to combine both interests in cooking and boating.

"It has been really successful which is why we sold our last boat to build a purpose-built one so our customers would have more room. "When we finish work it will be a retirement boat that will go down to the south of France."

He said: "When we first started, we wanted our boat to be in Cardiff Bay but we had so much red tape we were really put out by it all. Being a Welshmen I wanted to keep it in Wales rather than take the business to England."

As the boat was being winched by crane on to a truck ahead of a slow and careful drive to Reading, 52-year-old Mrs Smith said: "That is his 22nd boat - there won't be a 23rd!"