ENGLAND fan Kevin Chipchase thought he'd had one too many lagers when he returned from Portugal to discover his house had been transformed into a pub.

A huge brewery sign was illuminated outside his home in Lister Way, Clifton, York, accompanied by a sandwich board which read: "England v Croatia Live On Big Screen".

Another sign said there was a beer garden available at the rear of the house.

But it was not long before the father-of-two realised it was the handiwork of his best friend and serial practical joker, Kevin Atkinson.

"I couldn't believe it," said Mr Chipchase, who works as a gardener.

"I got back from Albufeira at 4am and the sign was all lit up in my front garden. I just burst out laughing, which woke up my wife, Val."

The fictitious brewery sign had a picture of Mr Chipchase on it sporting a huge beer belly and clutching a pint of lager. It named the pub as "The Selfish B'stard".

It was the latest in a long line of pranks Mr Atkinson has played on his best mate while he was away on holiday. He previously converted the family's garden into a nine-hole golf course, dug molehills all over their well-manicured garden and hung a pair of huge knickers on a pole in the front porch with the words "big Val" on them.

"Kevin always plays practical jokes on us - he is a nightmare!" said Val, who admits she was in on this latest prank. "He will get his comeuppance one day."

"Kevin is an absolute nuisance," said Mr Chipchase, who went to Portugal with his brother-in-law, Gary Watson.

"We always know something is going to be waiting for us when we get back from holiday."

Updated: 10:26 Wednesday, June 23, 2004