George Harrison's childhood home up for auction

The childhood home of George Harrison is up for auction.

The Beatles guitarist moved to 25 Upton Green in Speke, Liverpool, in 1949 when he was six years old.

He rehearsed with John Lennon and Paul McCartney at the house. The Harrison family moved out in 1962, just as the Beatles were about to hit the big time.

Auctioneer Paul Fairweather said the three-bedroom property was "a steal" at an estimated price of between £160,000 and £200,000.

Harrison, the youngest of four children, previously lived with his parents Harold and Louise - and the family's pet cockerels - in a small house in Arnold Grove, Wavertree.

The Harrisons had been on a rehousing list for about 18 years when the opportunity arose to move to 25 Upton Green on the new Speke housing estate.

Harrison continued to go to Dovedale Primary School, which was also attended by Lennon - although they were unaware of each other due to the two-and-a-half year age gap.

As teenagers, they rehearsed with Lennon's skiffle group The Quarrymen, which included Paul McCartney, at Harrison's home.

The band eventually evolved into The Beatles, the name the members adopted in 1960.

The mid-terrace house was last on the market seven years ago, when it was bought by a Beatles fan for £156,000.

Although there have been renovations, the house retains some original features, including the bath, sink, doors and outbuildings, Mr Fairweather said.

"George will have learned to play the guitar in this house and the photos of the group gathering there in the early 1960s are amazing to see."

He said he was expecting the imminent release of The Beatles: Get Back documentary by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson to generate more interest in the sale, adding there was an option to apply for a blue heritage plaque for the property.

In 1965, Harrison bought his parents a bungalow in Appleton, near Warrington, with some of the spoils of his international success as a Beatle.

After the band's break-up in 1970, he continued to compose and perform and produced films with the Monty Python comedians.

Harrison died of cancer at the age of 58 in 2001.