Largest Pokémon Collection - world record set
by Lisa Courtney
Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, UK --
Lisa Corney, 21, a disabled woman who dedicated the
last 12 years to collecting Pokémon has a Pokemon memorabilia
collection of more than 13,400 items - which sets the new
world record for the Largest
Pokémon Collection.
Photo: Lisa Courtney surrounded by the
world's Largest
Pokémon Collection Photo: PA
(enlarge
photo) The 21-year-old, from Welwyn Garden
City in Hertfordshire, has spent 13 years building up the
World'sLargest Pokémon Collection which she said has swelled
to more than 13,400 since it was counted by Guinness world
records last year and fills most of the house she shares with
her mother haron.
"My family have been incredibly supportive
considering the collection takes up the whole house, including
my mother's room.
"I've even named the room where my main
collection resides Pokemon Centre Europe."
Lisa began her love affair with Pokemon
when she saw a picture of Pikachu in a Nintendo magazine and
started collecting even though she had no idea what the characters
were.
"My favourite is a plush toy of the
character Absol," she said. "I fell in love with it."
Lisa said she will never get bored of collecting:
"There's always something new coming out in Japan. There's
so much out there."
Pokémon is a hugely successful videogame
series published by the video game company Nintendo. Lisa's
dedication to the cause of collecting the memorabilia has
seen her visit Japan 5 times, and she has another trip planned
for this year.
Severely bullied as a teenager, Lisa
Courtney told the WHT she turned to her Largest
Pokémon Collection during dark times in her life.
“I was severely bullied at senior
school, both verbally and physically. “The bullying was quite
bad and I was tearful most days. I have a disabled arm and
they called me Elephant Man.” She added: “Coming home from
school the Pokémon really helped me through the hard times.”
She has been to Japan five times
and plans to go back this year for another "spending spree".
Lisa says: "To hold a world
record for something you feel so passionate about is just
an indescribable feeling."
