An Iconic painting depicting a cheeky young boy peeing on a mans leg in a North East toilet has been recreated with help from the artists grandson. Ten year old Sam Olley was at Beamish Museum yesterday where the original Westoe Netty is being rebuilt. It is 33 years since the toilet was immortalised in his grandfather Robert Olley's picture that shows a row of men in flat caps and work clothes relieving themselves, while a naughty youngster pees into one of their boots.

Mr Olley said he was proud of his grandsons efforts to recreate the pose, adding "Obviously, he didn't have to wee, but he did say his legs were hurting because he had to twist round the pose right. " He was a real star and I was very proud that he was able to recreate the painting. "the magic of the painting is that it's saucy, like the postcards you used to get at the seaside and it's not obscene."

Beamish Museum is rebuilding the toilet so people can see the original building that inspired Mr Olley,  from South Shields, South Tyneside. Mr Olley said the building was going be demolished until he asked workers to allow him to remove the toilet block.
He added " Someone came and told me work to clear the area was underway, so I went and had a word with them.
"They were good about it, and gave me a couple of weeks to have it removed. "I said to the people at Beamish that It's like the end of the story for me, but they said it was just the beginning of new life for the toilet. "It means that far more people will be able to see it. It is quite an ugly building, but it has a certain magic. "Rebuilding it means it will be like the Phoenix rising from the ashes."

The Westoe Netty consists of a row of urinals and was built in about 1890. It was salvaged in 1996 and has been stored at a shipyard in Hebburn, South Tyneside, until recently, when it was transferred to Beamish.

Chris Scott, the museum's curator of industry, said authentic materials will be used in the reconstruction of the building. He said " We are very pleased to have acquired a building that is well known, not only in the region, but around the world. "It's a part of the North East's heritage--and the museum is about the history of the region."