IT IS a mammoth task that all but the most ardent would seek to undertake.

But after seven months and 450 hours, Derek Pickles’ patience has paid off.

And after finally slotting the final piece of the 32,256- piece puzzle into place, he has become the first person in Britain to complete the world’s largest jigsaw.

The 57-year-old had completed another giant jigsaw last year — but six months after he finished it an even larger one was released.

“The first one was 24,000 pieces and I decided to do it for charity, but I was a bit miffed when six months later they released an even bigger one,” said Mr Pickles, who works as the operations director at Drew Brady and Co, based at Dove Mills, in Deane, where the giant jigsaw is now on display.

“It was a challenge, so I decided to do the new one too — well it’s better than watching television isn’t it.”

The completed jigsaw is six metres across and is so large that Mr Pickles had to work on it in sections in his living room at home in Harrogate where he lives with his wife, Julie.

“I think my wife is glad that she’s got rid of it now!” said Mr Pickles.

The puzzle was made by Ravensburger Ltd, in Oxfordshire, and features 32 images by pop artist Keith Haring. It was released in the UK in February, but Mr Pickles got a head start by ordering the puzzle in December.

And he says that while he does not ordinarily spend much of his spare time doing jigsaws, if Ravensburger release an even bigger puzzle then he will rise to that challenge, too.

“If they release a 48,000 piece puzzle then within a year that one will be on the wall here as well,” said Mr Pickles. “Otherwise I think I have had enough of jigsaws for the time being.”