Rare fungus found in grounds of Agatha Christie's holiday home

The National Trust said the fungus was native to southern and central Europe, but has been spotted a number of times across southern England

A rare fungus, that smells of rotting flesh, has been found in the grounds of Agatha Christie's former holiday home.

Clathus ruber, which is also known as lattice stinkhorn, was discovered at Greenway National Trust in Devon by a visitor.

Dick Makin saw the red fungus and noticed its "overpowering smell", the trust's Lauren Hutchinson said.

The house, which Christie bought in 1938 and made her holiday home until 1959, was given to the trust in 2000.

Ms Hutchinson said: "Dick Makin, a local fungi enthusiast, was visiting Greenway at the end of October and spotted something red deep in the undergrowth, off the visitor path. It looked like plastic, but he noticed the overpowering smell."

Dick Makin saw the red fungus and noticed its "overpowering smell", the trust's Lauren Hutchinson said

Mr Makin said: "I recalled reading about a fungus that was like a cage that smelled putrid and I put two and two together."

Ms Hutchinson said: "He returned the following day with one of our gardeners and they confirmed it was the latticed stinkhorn."

Mr Makin said: "On returning I discovered numerous samples of the the fungus dotted around a specific small area, in various stages of maturity.

"I was really quite excited as it is so rare..."

Ms Hutchinson said: "Our team hadn't come across this before, and we realised it was quite a rare fungus.

"The fruiting body of the fungus only appears for a couple of days before it decays back, which is likely why we haven't spotted it before now.

"It's native to southern and central Europe, but has been spotted a number of times across southern England."

She added "it's highly unusual to find it growing organically, as opposed to being introduced".