A 41-year-old Florida man has revealed he spends £20,000 a year working on his Barbie doll collection.

Stanley Colorite has 2,000 Barbies and 1,000 Ken figures, with some of the prized dolls worth up to £650 each.

His seven-bedroom home has become a museum to the popular girl's toy, taking up four rooms - including the bathroom.

Colorite also owns 3,000 Barbie outfits, including one by fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, as well as an airplane, motorcycle, limousine and camper van for the dolls.

The collection includes everything from Barbie mouthwash and toothpaste to a Dream House, with a working shower and elevator.

Now he buys up to 20 a month from toy shops, jumble sales and eBay.

"My favourite Barbie is a 1992 doll, she is worth $975. The oldest Barbie I have is from 1962 and I bought her at a second-hand sale for six dollars."

Colorite lives with his boyfriend, Dennis Schlicker, 61, who collects Ken dolls and now has every version made in America.

Since meeting 13 years ago, the couple has visited Barbie conventions together in the U.S and they enjoy making jewelery for the dolls as well as curling their hair in their spare time.

"The Barbies take up four rooms of the house but I won't stop collecting until I run out of rooms.

"I'll glue them to the ceiling or make chandeliers out of them if I have to - but I wouldn't move home.

"I don't need a mansion for my museum. My house is my mansion, it's my own Barbie Dream House."

The Sun