Lennon's housebricks for sale

Lennon lived in the house in the 50s

A total of 150 bricks from the house where former Beatle John Lennon grew up are to be auctioned over the internet.

The American NBC television network acquired the bricks from the house in Menlove Avenue, Woolton, Liverpool, during the filming of a TV movie about Lennon as a teenager.

At first we were going to throw the bricks in a dumpster

Producer Michael O'Hara

The 88-year-old owner of the house agreed for the the first time to allow a film crew into his home - and said they could knock down a downstairs wall to allow more room for the cameras.

"At first we were going to throw the bricks in a dumpster," writer and executive producer Michael O'Hara said.

"Then I said 'hold on a minute', because this was a very expensive movie to make and we were over budget and I thought here's an opportunity to generate some revenue.

"We had a big laugh about it. But then I slept on it," Mr O'Hara said.

The bricks were removed and documented in the presence of an auctioneer and then "carted away almost under armed guard".

Bricks from the Cavern Club are fetching up to $500 each

The house where Lennon was brought up by his Aunt Mimi in the 50s is a regular stop on fan tours of the city where the Fab Four were born.

Some 5,000 bricks sold when Liverpool's Cavern Club, where the Beatles first performed, was demolished were now fetching between $300 and $500 each, said Mr O'Hara.

The owner of Lennon's house will get 50% of the profits, and some will be donated to the nearby Strawberry Fields children's home.

The rest will go to cover the costs of the movie.

The auction will run from 15 November to 4 December on NBC's Lennon web site.

Last month the piano on which Lennon composed Imagine was bought at auction by British pop star George Michael for £1.45m.