The Tin House in Hartlepool will be knocked down to make way for new homes (Picture: Backgrid)

A family who covered their house in a bizarre Fosters cans piece of art have been forced out of their home.

The Muspratt Family formerly of Raby Road, Hartlepool, first attracted attention in 2005 when Philip Muspratt started decorating the semi-detached home with the cans and bottles.

More than 75,000 cans have been glued to the side of the home and there’s even a water feature and barbecue in his back garden.

The installation has caused mixed reactions with some calling it art and others saying it’s an eyesore.


The house is in the middle of a new estate that is being built around it (Picture: Backgrid)

The installation is made from more than 75,000 cans and bottles (Picture: Backgrid)

The installation has caused mixed reactions with some calling it art and others saying it’s an eyesore (Picture: Backgrid)

Mr Muspratt died at the age of 63 in 2015 but his family continued living in the house.



But now the council estate where the house is based is being knocked down to make way for new homes.

However, the Muspratt family have refused to take any offer from the council to leave the home and they were ordered to leave by a court.

The semi-detached house was the only building left on the estate with the surrounding areas becoming a building site for new houses and bungalows.

It now seems the family have vacated the home as fencing has appeared around the former family home along with metal mesh over the doors and windows.

A spokesman for the council said: ‘The council has worked in partnership with housing provider Thirteen to help them to acquire the property in question.

‘As identified within the Hartlepool Housing Strategy 2015 – 2020, the Raby estate is a key housing regeneration site within the town, and so this move forms part of our wider ambition and ongoing commitment to housing renewal in the area in partnership with Thirteen.’

However, the Muspratt family have refused to take any offer from the council to leave the home and they were ordered to leave by a court (Picture: Backgrid)

The family had also created a Fosters water feature and a barbecue (Picture: Backgrid)

The Tin House through the ages, as seen on Google Street View

July 2009

Nov 2012

Oct 2014

June 2015

May 2016