HAVE you seen it yet? A quirky music video has been causing amusement for hundreds of people in North Devon during the Christmas holidays. The song Dreamin' has been getting heaps of hits on YouTube (1,861 at the time of going to press).

The eccentric, dream-like video is the wild imagining of Braunton musician and singer Mike Stocks who performs the song in a miniature theatre built by himself in his attic, complete with a cast of animatronic monkey puppets.

In the video Mike takes the role of his alter-ego – a moustachioed, vaudevillian character called Mr Pickle – who enigmatically sings the song alongside a backing band of rather marvellous musical monkeys.

Mike, who also works as a tattoo artist, admits he's more than a little mad about toy monkeys. His penchant for the woolly primates beginning with a singular purchase.

"I was walking around Barnstaple car boot sales and happened upon a toy monkey which I found had bags of personality and could be manipulated to play air guitar," he said.

That might have been the end of it. However, in the following weeks Mike bought seven more monkeys, three gorillas and a one-eared chimp which daughter Sunday named Vincent. These cuddly toys became the unbelievably cute stars in the musical monkey movie for Dreamin', filmed by Maniac Films.

Mike admits building a theatre in his attic was a labour of love.

"The whole project took about four months on and off," said the musician who bought just about everything for the video from car boot sales, junk shops, or the recycling centre.

"Every week at car boot sales and evenings banging and crashing upstairs like a crazy inventor. At this point I must mention my poor wife Karla who put up and supported me with this itch I had to scratch."

Mike called upon his creative background as a fashion designer to get the perfect retro look for the film.

"The colours in the film were very carefully chosen to be vintage and vaudeville right down to my socks so I guess my years in the fashion industry may have stood me in good stead."

On the day of shooting the monkeys were worked by Mike's musician friends (Callum Short, Jay Matthews, Toby Parker and Stu Grant) using both metal rods worked by hand and animatronics. Although the musicians had no puppet experience, they did have the advantage of knowing how to play instruments, making the monkeys look amusingly realistic.

The surprise star of the video, though, is Mike's dog Gilbert The Wonderdog (named by the Journal last year having nearly died after eating his plastic basket).

"He is a born actor and had been scratching at the door all day during filming to get in with all the boys," said Mike. "He promptly came in and knocked over the camera but as soon as Mark Brindle shouted 'action' he performed like a pro."

The music for the Dreamin' video was recorded at Peter Bruntnell's studio in Mortehoe with Pete on guitar and Dave Little on keyboards. The drums, procured from the Abbey Road studios were played by Drew Griffiths, who frequently works with Jimmy Paige.

"So sweet you could listen to them on their own," said Mike. "Drew also mixed and mastered the track and showed true soul."

Mike hopes more and more people will see the film.

"I hope they enjoy it and it makes them laugh. Hopefully, the tune sticks in their head too."

He's proud to have made an exclusively North Devon film.

"You don't need a Hollywood budget, famous actors or to live in a capital city to make good art. Everyone connected with this film lives within ten miles of me."

Reaction to the film has been great with hits on YouTube gathering fast. The track is also now available to download on iTunes.

The true highlight for Mike, though, was watching his wife Karla's face when she saw the film for the first time.

"She smiled and said you can buy whatever stupid things you want at the car boot from now on (a small point of contention on about monkey number six). I'm sure she gets a chill when I say, 'I've got this idea'."

He also hopes daughter Sunday will always remember playing with the monkey puppets, dancing and putting on her own shows in the attic.

To see the video of Dreamin' performed by Mr Pickle And The Junkshop Quartet put Dreamin' Mr Pickle into YouTube.