Alex Shirley-Smith says his Tentsile design is as comfortable as a hammock. Credit: Lucas Orme

An inventor is turning the world of camping on its head with an upside-down tent designed to be suspended between trees.

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Crouch End born architect Alex Shirley-Smith, who now lives in Turnpike Lane, said his unusual Tentsile product also doubles as the perfect treehouse for city kids.

It can either be tied between trees as high up off the ground as needed, much like a hammock, or be suspended on its own frame like an inverted pyramid using specially strengthened poles.

The 34-year-old “treehouse architect”, who has a six-month-old daughter, said: “I wanted to come up with an affordable treehouse so urban children could have the possibility of having a treehouse without the need for trees.

“It is brilliant for festival camping too because it negates the need for flat ground and can be put up pretty much anywhere.”

The design, his first invention, was launched in Queen’s Wood in front of an audience of 80.

Whether the tent, priced from £1,000, is hung between trees or on its own steel frame, campers can get in using a rope ladder.

There are separate hammocks in each corner of a five-man tent with a double bed in the middle - the tension in the materials making it possible to walk around inside without everything sliding into the middle.

He added that it takes 40 minutes to erect the tent on a new site, but just five minutes if the anchor points on trees are already set in place.

“My passion has always been treehouses.” said Mr Shirley-Smith. “And the concept behind this is to create one that fits all environments and is also zero carbon.”