All aboard Gary's naval themed pub shed

An ex-Royal Navy serviceman from Shropshire has become the latest county resident to show off his converted shed - and said his motivation in creating the mini-bar was to dodge soaring pub prices.

Gary Taylor, from Horsehay in Telford, has made his garden shed into a nautical-themed pub, called The Quarterdeck Bar, containing his favourite memorabilia from his 25 years in the Royal Navy.

Mr Taylor, 48, said: "I decided to transform the shed due to the high beer prices in British pubs and I also wanted somewhere my friends could come around and relax without annoying my wife.

"For the price of four pints of beer I can buy a full crate from the supermarket and all my mates can join in."

Mr Taylor said he expected the trend for garden bars to become increasingly popular, with Shropshire men Jamie Pearce, 32, and Richard Wilson, 64, this week entering a national contest to find the best pub shed.

Mr Taylor's bar cost about £3,000, including the carpets, boat models, the decking, a flag pole, hand-pull pumps and a sound system. It fits up to 12 people.

He revealed one of his neighbours has been inspired to transform a World War Two air-raid shelter in his garden into a bar.

And Mr Taylor, who works at Moba Packaging in Ketley, said the pub shed was proving a big hit with his family as well.

"My wife loves it. It means there's no noise or mess when friends come round and my garden's quite a long way away from any houses so we can turn the music up loud and there's no chance of anyone hearing."

He added: "When my family are over in the bar, or I'm not able to open the bar, I lower a flag to let people know it's not open.

"I raise the flag when I fancy people round so my neighbours and friends can pop by for a drink, bringing their own beer and wine."

By Danny Carden