A WORLD record holding beer can collector is coming to Tavistock — and he is hoping West Devon residents will be able to lift the lid on his search for more. 

American Jeff Lebo has a house of beer cans — 80,000 of them to be exact — the largest collection of its kind in the world.

The 49-year-old from Pennsylvania has travelled the globe in search of his tin treasures and has been collecting vintage beer cans since he was 13.

This April he kicks off a month-long trek throughout Wales, England and Scotland in an attempt to document all the known cans produced in the UK.

To say that Jeff is extreme in his passion for his unusual hobby would be an understatement. He has often paid $200 or more to acquire particular cans for his collection. He even has plans to go scuba diving for cans in the lochs of Scotland.

British beer cans first rolled off the canning line in 1936 and were cone top cans, similar in shape to a Brasso can. The first brand to be canned in the UK was Felinfoel from Llanelli in Wales. Jeff has documented almost 100 different British cone top cans, which were produced from 1936 to about the mid-1950s.

He is certain that he is missing many unknown labels and variations.

He said: 'Most cone top cans in the British Isles were melted down to provide steel during world war two, which makes them quite rare indeed. 'Also of interest are early "flat top" cans, which required a special opener to get at the contents.

Flat tops were produced in the British Isles from the 1940s to about 1965, after which time the ring pull was introduced.

'British beer cans are among the most varied, innovative and beautiful of any cans in the world,' he said.

Among his favourites are cans which were produced by the Metal Box Company, including the famous Tennents cans, which featured photographs of glamorous women and picturesque scenery.

He is seeking past employees of the Metal Box Company, former brewery employees, or anyone who may have variations that he is missing.

If you have any old, unusual beer cans lying around and would like to contact him please email him by email at [email protected]">[email protected] or through his website at http://www.cansmartbeercans.com">www.cansmartbeercans.com