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Lego legend: UK shop gets 60th birthday makeover

It's a toy box staple, one of the world's most pow..

It's a toy box staple, one of the world's most powerful brands and a product that has inspired television and movie franchises.

But 60 years ago when the first ever Lego brick was created in a small town in Denmark, no one could predict that this plastic toy would become a global hit.

Video:Building success: Happy 60th birthday Lego!

To commemorate the brick's 60th birthday on Sunday, Lego has given a unique makeover to the shop where it was first sold in the UK, Osborne's Sports & Toys in Rushden, Northamptonshire.

In 1960 Pam Osborne and her late husband, Jim, were on honeymoon in Brighton. The couple saw a Lego brick at a trade fair showcasing new toys.

There's even detail on the shop front door
Image:There's even detail on the shop front door

They immediately placed an order and their shop has sold Lego products ever since.

::Opinion: Lego superfan – 'The thing I love is creativity'

To mark the Osbornes' leap of faith in a then unknown product, the shop, which is now managed by the couple's son, Will, has been given a temporary Lego façade.

Measuring nearly 14ft tall and 50ft wide, the new Lego shopfront contains 277,500 Lego bricks and took more than 600 hours to build.

The shop has had a makeover for the 60th anniversary of Lego
Image:The shop has had a makeover for the 60th anniversary of Lego

"I still can’t really believe that they’ve been here and built it," Mrs Osborne told Sky News.

"I think it’s absolutely incredible!"

The Lego brick we know today is little changed from the original, first created by Godtfred Kirk Christiansen in 1958.

Pam Osborne and her late husband, Jim, were on honeymoon in Brighton when they placed an order for Lego
Image:Pam Osborne and her late husband placed an order for Lego in 1960

What began as a simple toy building block for children turned into a global empire, with Lego theme parks, movies and video games.

But the brick itself remains a favourite for kids of all ages.

Osborne's in Rushden, when it first stocked Lego
Image:Osborne's in Rushden, when it first stocked Lego

"Lego is so endlessly adaptable," Simon Bennet, an adult Lego enthusiast from the Brickish Association, told Sky News.

"You can do so many things with it.

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Simon Bennet, an adult Lego enthusiast from the Brickish Association
Image:Simon Bennet, an adult Lego enthusiast from the Brickish Association

"If you're a child the imagination is your only limit but if you're an adult you can get into some really serious detailed modelling."

Lego fans from across the UK have already been visiting the Osbornes' new-look shop. It’ll retain its Lego facelift until 29 January.

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