A housing hunter thought she might have been in a nightmare after she found a “creepy giant religious statue” resembling actor Nicolas Cage while browsing a property for sale.
Jess Hogan was looking for a home online when she spotted a life-size carved wooden statue of St. Francis of Assisi, strikingly resembling a Hollywood star, in a room in a four-bedroom house in Poole, Dorset.
The 6-foot-tall surprise guest has been hiding in the living room of the house, which is listed for sale for over £375,000.
The ornate carving depicts Saint Francis of Assisi in flowing robes, with a rosary dangling from his waist, and holding a cross.
The carving depicts Saint Francis of Assisi in flowing robes, with a rosary at the waist and holding a cross.
The statue was owned for some time, but previously had a home in a church in Bournemouth.
People compare the statue to Hollywood star Nicolas Cage.
The 6-foot-tall surprise guest has been hiding in the living room of the house, which is listed for sale for over £375,000.
The seller of the property admitted that the statue has a “shock factor” and made previous guests of the house “jump out of their skin” when they saw it.
“This is an image of Saint Francis, the patron saint of children and animals,” they said.
“We found it in Bali while shopping for furniture for our furniture store and sent it back – it was so unusual compared to all other Indonesian carvings.
“It was time at our old house and then time at the church in Bournemouth.
“Now we have not decided what to do with him, so he ended up in the house. This will be the last thing we move because it weighs about 300 kg.
“We bought it and it has taken us on a very positive journey afterwards, so it’s definitely more of a good thing in our lives.”
Jess, 26, a psychology student, said the discovery “was like the beginning of a horror movie.”
“I was looking at houses in the area, I saw this one and looked at the pictures,” she said. “It looked okay and I saw that he had a virtual tour so I used it to get a better look around.
“I was a little shocked when I walked in and saw a strange religious statue in one of the rooms – I just thought it was really funny.
The strange addition to the property isn’t immediately noticeable if you view photos of it online.
Patio doors open to a large private rear garden with a paved patio and lawn ideal for building.
The four bedroom home has a kitchen that feels large and airy with modern furnishings.
Rooms in the house seem large and spacious thanks to high ceilings and large windows.
“Because I was doing a virtual tour, it was literally like walking into a room and there was only this thing in the corner.
“It was like the beginning of a horror movie – it’s like a warning sign that the house is haunted or that something bad has happened there. It’s almost like the statue’s house and it has to stay there – maybe something bad will happen if you move it. Probably comes alive at night.
“I have no idea why it’s there, it just seemed really out of place. The rest of the house was empty, which made it even weirder. I don’t know why they left it there or why they didn’t remove it just for the sake of the pictures.”
After meeting the figure virtually, Jess tweeted about her bizarre discovery, writing, “So I was doing a virtual house tour on Rightmove, I ‘walked into’ one room and I was greeted by this thing.”
Her find was met with shock and horror by other netizens, with one saying she reminded them of the weeping angels from Doctor Who.
“100 percent this thing comes alive at night” and joked that the crucifix on the statue could be a hidden sword,” wrote another.
Others have pointed to an uncanny resemblance to Nicolas Cage writing “Is that Nic Cage??”
The family bathroom with large bathtub and shower is located upstairs in a building decorated in stylish whites.
Upstairs the property has three large bedrooms, including one with a small bathroom.
The floor plan features a spacious kitchen, dining and living area in addition to three bedrooms.
The strange addition to the property doesn’t immediately catch your eye if you view photos of it online as the sellers didn’t notice it, but it becomes fully visible during the 360 tour.
In addition to a potentially unwanted guest, the hotel boasts high ceilings and spacious rooms, including a living room with an open bay window at the front of the building.
Adjacent to the living room is the dining area with large patio doors leading to a large private rear garden with paved patio and lawn.
At the back of the house is the kitchen and downstairs shower room.
Upstairs, the property has three large bedrooms, including one with a small bathroom, a twin bedroom, and a family bathroom, which are separated by a two-level landing.
The listing notes that the “solid house” boasts high ceilings and a “feeling of space,” including a living room with an open bay window at the front of the house – the room where the statue is located.
Adjacent to this is the dining area with patio doors that open onto the backyard garden and then towards the back of the house is the kitchen and downstairs shower room.
Upstairs, three large bedrooms, including one en-suite, a single bedroom and a family bathroom are separated by a two-level deck.
To view properties, visit Rightmove.