THE new owner of a house once occupied by comedian Stan Laurel and his family has spoken of his joy at buying the modest terraced property.

Property investor Phil Carrick bought the house in Princes Street, Bishop Auckland, where Stan, left, lived with his parents while a baby, for an undisclosed sum after it failed to sell at auction in March.

Mr Carrick, who is originally from Forest Hall, Tyneside, but now lives in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland, has a portfolio of rental properties in the North-East.

He initially planned to refurbish the house and sell it, but now intends to keep it as a rental property because of its historical connection to one half of one of the world’s favourite comedy duos.

It took eight weeks to process the sale and Mr Carrick received the keys to the house yesterday.

He said: “I am delighted to get the property and definitely want to keep hold of it as a bit of posterity.”

The mid-terrace house has two bedrooms and bathroom upstairs, downstairs living room and kitchen, utility room, basement and yard.

Laurel and his parents lived there in the 1890s after moving to the area from Lancashire.

His father, Arthur Jefferson, ran the Eden Theatre, in Bishop Auckland, and Stan attended the town’s King James Grammar School.

He was baptised in nearby St Peter’s Church.

There is a commemorative blue plaque above the front door, which was installed by the Bishop Auckland Civic Society.

Although the house needs extensive cosmetic work to the interior and some building work, Mr Carrick plans to keep many of the original fittings and hopes to have the property finished in four weeks.