So my friend had just moved into this house and kept hearing this strange scratching noise come from the loft. And even though it was 3.33 in the morning, and the thunder was cracking outside and the wind was howling, she decided to go and investigate and check out the scratching noise in the loft.

As she ventured into the loft, for the first time, she opened the hatch slowly. As the hatch swung open, a terrible creeeeeeek pierced the noise of her heavy breathing.

Suddenly the cold air hit her and sent shivers down her spine, and she started to see her own breath as the black winter's night washed terror all over her.

CRAAAAACK!!!

A bolt of lightning suddenly illuminated the loft space for a second, and as her eyes adjusted the moonlight broke through the clouds and shone right onto one thing sitting in the middle of the loft floor. The white face of her dead mother was looking right back at her from the darkness.

It was at this point she remembered that the house had been inherited from her mother, they had always had occasional mice get into the loft, and that damn pot her mother made at college was still there.

I have to say, it is very creepy to look at. What you don't see in the picture is that there is a big hole in the back where you can put a house plant. So it's not that terrifying in real life. Apparently my friend's mother had made it at art college, in her own likeness, then eventually brought it home. Then when my friend was old enough, her mother had spent the rest of her life, which was long and happy, thank goodness, trying to give her this crazy pot.

I actually think it's quite interesting, in a weird sort of way. Definitely a good talking point. Maybe I should take it and scare the husband, next time he goes in our loft.

Currently it's in my friend's dining room, as a sort of memorial to her mother, rest her soul. And does currently have a rather fetching Boston Fern growing out of it.

Which however, does appear to have had one rather unfortunately side-effect. The huge, poofy, fern sticking out does appear to be making my friend's mother look like she has a huge, crazy afro!

With love
Jane