When builders set to work digging out the foundations of a house, an unexpected discovery was made hidden in the dirt.

Anil Jagota, 50, of Harpenden, had been told by neighbours when he bought the house 12 years ago that a former owner had allegedly buried his car underneath the driveway.

He said: “When we had the driveway done we thought we’d find it then but there was no sign of it so we assumed it was a myth.”

But he was in for a surprise when renovation works on his home revealed the rusted shell of a car was hidden under his home.

Anil added: “When we came back [from an outing] we saw it but you can’t even tell it is a car now. It’s just a shell. It’s got to be at least 20 years old because it’s rusted so bad.”

The car was dug up by a digger just centimetres below the surface. It has since been disposed of.