Now THAT'S a man cave! Former businessman with MS spends £100,000 single-handedly converting an 800-year-old hobbit hole into his dream house in the most bizarre Grand Designs episode yet

• e-mail

The days when humans lived in dark, damp and abandoned holes in Britain are, thankfully, long gone. But one former businessman has opted to return to underground living by building his dream home in a cave - in a bid to cure his Multiple Sclerosis.

Angelo Mastropietro, 37, spent eight months single-handedly transforming the 800-year-old hobbit hole in the Wyre Forest in Worcestershire into a 21st century man cave, complete with running water, underfloor heating and even wi-fi.

The former recruitment boss was inspired to buy the cave after being diagnosed with MS at the age of 29, a catalyst which forced him to rethink his high-flying career and the stress and unhealthy lifestyle that came along with it.

Scroll down for video 

A former businessman has returned to underground living by converting a cave in the Wyre Forest, Worcestershire, into his dream home 

Angelo Mastropietro, 37, spent eight months single-handedly transforming the 800-year-old hobbit hole into a 21st century luxury bolthole

The father-of-two excavated 70 tonnes of stone by hand before turning his dream into a reality. This is the finished dining room in the cave

Mr Mastropietro, who designed and created this kitchen, spotted the cave when he and some friends found shelter during a rainy bike ride

Although he wanted a calm and peaceful home Mr Mastropietro did not shun all the trappings of modern life and has electricity and water

He then set about carving, cutting and drilling into the sandstone hillside - including excavating 70 tonnes of stone by hand - to make his dream a reality.

Describing the project on tonight's episode of Grand Designs, he said: 'MS was triggered by health and lifestyle and that was the catalyst I needed to remind me that I needed to be mindful of my health and be respectful of my lifestyle. I wanted to be in a place where I had a happier and healthier life.

'It's in a beautiful location, it's uplifting, it makes you feel good, it's very relaxing. While you are a mile from the nearest pub or supermarket, you're a thousand miles back in history.'  

The father-of-two, who returned to Britain in 2010 after more than a decade living in Australia, first came across the cave in 1999 when he and some friends were forced to find shelter during a rainy bike ride.

He bought the cave (pictured from outside before the makeover) for £62,000 after seeing it advertised in the local property supplement

The dark and dingy space needed to be completely renovated, with thousands of man hours being put into scraping through the stone

Incredibly, while he was flicking through a property supplement more than ten years later, he noticed the very same cave was up for sale for £62,000.

Believing it was fate, Mr Mastropieto bought the bolthole. Then, with a budget of just £100,000, he began tireless work to excavate the cave before cutting and drilling into the hillside to create his woodland retreat.

Mr Mastropieto did not need planning permission and had no guidance of how to convert the space, with the only architect being his fertile imagination.

And, with the constant threat of his illness - which once left him paralysed - the extensive manual labour was a bigger consideration than usual. 

The completed home, which features on tonight's Grand Designs, has a huge terrace, intimate rooms and white walls to brighten it up

Last lived in more than seven decades ago, the cave is cut into 50ft high sandstone cliffs in an area which apparently inspired JRR Tolkien to create Middle Earth. Pictured left is the newly-installed chimney for Mr Mastropietro's wood-burning stoves 

Mr Mastropieto did not need planning permission and had no guidance of how to convert the space. He spent £100,000 on the conversion

'If I think about it, I do get scared,' he tells the Channel 4 show. 'I have literally been paralysed before and it does put the fear of God into you really.'

Last lived in more than seven decades ago, the cave is cut into 50ft high sandstone cliffs in an area which apparently inspired JRR Tolkien to create Middle Earth and its famous fictional creatures.

The cave - which has been in its current four-bedroom form for 300 years - was abandoned in the late 1940s and has been falling into disrepair ever since. It is part of a row of caves considered to be the oldest inhabited rock houses in the whole of Europe - archaeological architects believe it was around in its earliest form nearly 800 years ago. 

Mr Mastropieto (pictured) said that his diagnosis made him realise that he needed to respect his body and live a less stressful lifestyle 

With the constant threat of his illness - which once left him paralysed - the extensive manual labour was a bigger consideration than usual

The cave was abandoned in the late 1940s and has been falling into disrepair ever since. Pictured: Presenter Kevin McCloud helps Mr Mastropieto create a built-in wardrobe in what will eventually become one of the cave's bedrooms 

But although he wanted a calm and peaceful home - and to keep the essence of the cave - Mr Mastropietro did not shun all the trappings of modern life and instead brought water and electricity to the cave house for the first time.

'I want to celebrate that it is a cave dwellings, but I want to add modern day luxuries,' he says. 'It definitely has a modern feel but hopefully retains some cave charm.'

The completed home has a huge terrace, intimate rooms and white walls to brighten up the cave. He also installed huge glass doors and oak-framed windows to let in the light.

• Watch the full story on Grand Designs at 9pm tonight on Channel 4