It looks more like the transport of choice for a Bond villain than a wheelchair. But one inventive engineer has turned a wheelchair into his very own hot seat – by fitting it with a flamethrower. Lance Greathouse’s eccentric creation can spit fire over 35 feet – the length of a typical bus.

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Dubbed the the Lord Humongous, Lance, 52, spent $1,000 (£645) and a month building the customised chair out of an electric golf cart, a helicopter seat, all terrain tyres and old dental machines.

Lance, from Phoenix, Arizona, said: ‘I love fire and wheelchairs so I thought why not put them together.

‘The Lord Humongous wheelchair idea started when I found a rescue helicopter seat in the Tucson Aircraft boneyard.
Idea: He decided to invent the wheelchair after an appearance on BBC2 show Robot Wars

Idea: He decided to invent the wheelchair after an appearance on BBC2 show Robot Wars

‘As soon as I spotted it I knew it would be the perfect fit for my flame throwing chair project.

‘I would like to see some street gang member mess with someone in one of my chairs.’

Lance, who funds his projects by working as a dental equipment engineer, added: ‘Almost every wheelchair user I have met loves my work and says I am on the right path.

‘It keeps my dreams alive building these chairs and getting them out to deserving people who need them.

‘Why not have a fully functional wheelchair and have it show your personality just like a teenager with their first car.’

His unusual interest was sparked by an appearance on British BBC2 show Robot Wars where he spent time talking to staff in the special effects department at the show’s studios.

He said: ‘They showed the stuff they were building in their shops and it had a big impact on how I design.

‘I began building with ideas I had in my head and not being concerned with what others were doing or thinking about.

‘When I am not working I spend all of my time in the garage designing and building custom wheelchairs and one of a kind machines.

‘In the past I was able to donate a few chairs each year to people who really need them so hope to build cool machines full time for deserving people some day.’

By Steve Nolan
dailymail.co.uk, 29 August 2013