Model maker recreates Crooked House pub in miniature

Model maker Ian Young posted a picture of the original model online and an offer was made from a man who wanted to buy it

A model maker has built three miniature versions of the Crooked House pub to tell the story of its heyday, fire and demolition.

The Crooked House, in Himley, near Dudley, once known as "Britain's wonkiest pub", caught fire on 5 August and was demolished days later.

Ian Young, from Dudley, said he wanted to make something to "remind" him of the site.

Five men and one woman remain on bail in connection with the fire.

'Fell in love'

The 18th Century pub was known for its sloping walls and floor, caused by mining subsidence in the area, and there have been widespread calls for it to be restored.

Ian Young initially built the first model to remember the pub after its demolition

In order to capture the iconic "wonky" pub, Mr Young had to lift one side of his model by 5mm (0.19in).

He posted an image of his first model online, where it was seen by David Smith, from Sedgley, who offered to buy it.

"I just fell in love with it straightaway," Mr Smith said.

"Immediately it took me back to being young, being a child, and a teenager growing up and I saw everything at that point in that model."

David Smith said he wanted to document what happened to the pub

He then commissioned Mr Young to make the other models depicting the fire and the demolition.

"We didn't want to glorify what had happened but we wanted to document it," Mr Smith added.

"For anyone who has been affected by what has happened, I want them to be able to look back and go, 'Yeah this was our Crooked House and this is what happened'."

Five men and a woman previously arrested as part of the investigation into the fire all remain on conditional bail, Staffordshire Police said.