Beckham’s childhood home goes under hammer

David Beckham's childhood home was due to go to auction on Monday with the vendors expecting the modest three-bedroom terraced house in East London to sell for more than twice its reserve price of £215,000. The house, which is located on Norman Road in the Leytonstone area of London, was previously put up for sale at £850,000 but failed to attract a buyer. It is now being sold by the auctioneers Savills and is expected to go for more than £500,000.

Vendor Colin Evans has described the house as part of 'brand Beckham' and says that there has been interest in the property from potential buyers in Monaco and China. "If you were selling his shoelaces, it would make money," he added.

Evans originally discovered the house's history while he was researching a book about Leytonstone local heroes. He contacted the occupants of the property who agreed to sell. A spokesperson for the footballer, currently playing with AC Milan, has confirmed that Beckham lived in the house as a child before moving with his family to Chingford on the outskirts of the capital.

Now 34, Beckham divides his time between England, where he and his wife Victoria live in a mansion north of London often referred to as 'Beckingham Palace', and Los Angeles, where he owns a $22m mansion that it is rumoured will be sold to actors Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes when the midfielder finishes his contract with LA Galaxy at the end of the season and joins AC Milan.