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With a value of £1,250, a tank that can hold 10 litres of water and a firing range of 40ft, it is said to be the world's most sophisticated machine gun water pistol.

Engineer Alex Bygrave, 27, of Streatham Hill, south London, spent 50 hours designing and building the first-ever Gatling-style water pistol from scratch - using 55 separate parts from everyday life.

A black cab's windscreen wiper provides its rotary motion and a walking pole handle makes the pump, with most of the parts fitted together using self-setting silicone rubber Sugru.

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Power: Alex Bygrave (pictured) spent 50 hours designing and building the first-ever Gatling-style water pistol

Engineer: Mr Bygrave, 27, of Streatham Hill, south London, used 55 separate parts from everyday life

Long shot: This woman tested the 40ft firing range of the machine gun water pistol at London's Victoria Park

Mr Bygrave said: 'I had to first break down the mechanics of how the Gatling gun worked, and then build it up using a mix of all sorts of components.

'For example, I used a black cab's windscreen wiper to provide the rotary motion of the pistol and laser cut mechanics to create an intermittent barrel rotation.

 

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'The windscreen wiper motor was ideal as they have a very high gearing and are easy to pick up cheaply second hand.

'Standard plumbing pipes and fittings were used wherever possible, so that as much of the pistol could be made from stuff in your local DIY store.

Engineer builds amazing Gatling gun-style water pistol!

Technology: Carbon Dioxide welding canisters are used to pressure two large fire extinguishers so the water can fire out long distances through the six barrels

Soaking: Most of the water gun's parts were fitted together using self-setting silicone rubber Sugru

Bright: Different colours shoot out from the different barrels thanks to the added ingredient of small amounts of food dye

'Combining Sugru with existing parts, I was able to make custom valves, pistons and injectors integral to the Gatling motion and colouring of the jets of water.'

Carbon Dioxide welding canisters are used to pressure two large fire extinguishers so the water can fire out long distances through the six barrels.

And different colours shoot out from the different barrels thanks to the added ingredient of small amounts of food dye.

Sugru production assistant Jon Radclyfe, 23, from Bethnal Green, east London, who also tested the pistol in London's Victoria Park, said: 'The pistol weighs an absolute tonne but works like a dream.'