"His Majesty King Nicholas the First of the Copeman Empire" was actually born plain old "Nick Copeman"... He changed his name to royalty by deed poll as a joke and then started a new empire from his 'royal palace' - a caravan next to Beeston Bump.

His various royally-themed pranks in and around Sheringham have included riding on horseback in full uniform through the town centre, making 'charity collections' for himself (through his own foundation, 'The King's Trust'), selling 'noble titles' over the internet and commissioning a private royal carriage on the North Norfolk Railway.

Nick recently wrote a book about his adventures as 'England's other monarch'. The book is called "KING NICHOLAS AND THE COPEMAN EMPIRE" and will be published by Random House in May 2005. The book mentions many local people and places of interest.

Click to find out more from the King Nicholas website