Hastings Disney fan Donna Geertson after 600 hours over 3 years completed a jigsaw puzzle that contains 40,320 pieces. Scenes from movies were joined together to measure 7m by 2m. Reporter Maddisyn Jeffares talked to her. Video Warren Buckland.
For three years, Donna Geertson and her husband Paul have eaten dinner in the lounge while the world's largest jigsaw took pride of place on their kitchen table.
And now, after more than 600 hours of hard work and dedication, Geertson has completed her 40,320 pieces, Memorable Disney Moments puzzle.
After taking three years to complete it, Geertson estimates it will take roughly a day to pull it apart and pass it on to someone else to enjoy.
The final puzzle piece in the final section was placed last week, and Geertson said it felt good to finally have it done.
However, she still couldn't put all the 7m puzzle's sections together till the weekend.
On a sunny Sunday afternoon she finally got to see all her hard work linked together.
Geertson said it had always been a dream of hers to do a big puzzle, but she started the 7m jigsaw as a way to outdo her brother, who had just completed a 7500 piece puzzle.
"I had to beat that and I did, by a long way," she said.
At the time, the biggest puzzle she could find was a Disney one on Amazon, and as a Disney fan, it was a great fit.
The Memorable Disney Moments has been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the largest commercially made puzzle in the world, both in the number of pieces and overall size.
Puzzle lover, Donna Geertson, surrounded by her 40,000 piece Disney themed jigsaw puzzle. Photo / Warren Buckland
The puzzle is separated into 10 large squares to create a film-strip-like image.
Each individual square took an average of 60 hours to complete, and like most puzzles, some were easier, and others were harder.
The puzzle whiz said, "it was a shame not to see our table for so long and the puzzles would always over hang the table making the room look smaller, but it's good now."
The husband and wife were so used to not having a table that even now that the table is clear, they still eat in the lounge.
Every puzzle piece was put in place by Geertson herself; she would not let anyone else touch the puzzle as she wanted to be able to say she did 100 per cent of the work.
While some sections were faster than others, Geertson said she enjoyed putting together the Snow White square as it was her favourite movie and the bright colour and multiple faces made it quite fun.
"The Peter Pan square took the longest, because of all the blue background," Geertson said.
To finally put the whole puzzle together, the couple enlisted their family to help move it outside to the neighbours' driveway where they could lay it all out and connect all the squares.
The 600 hour, 40,320 piece worlds largest commercially made puzzle put together in the Geertson neighbours driveway. Photo / Paul Geertson
"It took a lot of work to get it out there and get everything together."
Geertson was so drained after setting it up that her daughter and grandkids took it apart and brought it back into the shed.
Now that the puzzle is all finished and done, the most asked question is what will happen to it.
"People have said we should frame it, but it's seven metres long, so it won't fit in a regular house, plus it would be too heavy, Geertson said.
The plan is for the puzzle to be passed on. It will be broken up and packed up, and sold on to the next person wanting to give it a go.
"I have been looking at it for three years, I have had enough of it and it's time for someone else to enjoy it."
