Lock-ups often hoard all manner of bizarre items, but people who live in the neighbourhood say they were left spooked by the wooden coffin which was propped up on what looked like a temporary casket.

The row of garages in Saltmarsh, Orton Malborne, Peterborough, are usually closed.

But residents believe someone kicked the doors down on Saturday night, leaving the contents exposed.

DO you know how the coffins gotr there or who they belonged to? If so let us know by emailing eteditor@peterboroughtoday.co.uk or comment below.

On Tuesday morning, bleary-eyed Sharliene Rogers (22) thought she was seeing things when she spied the box in the garage.

She ran to neighbour Colin Taylor's home and told him what she had found.

She said: "I was going to my mum's and on my way back I noticed the garage was open when it's usually shut.

"I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw the coffin.

"It's been unscrewed and someone's opened the lid.

"But I'm not even going to touch it. What's worse is there are two shovels beside it."

Mr Taylor, who has a prime view of the creepy sight from his back door, admitted he hadn't dared go any closer to investigate.

Mr Taylor (63), who works for a newsagent, said: "There was a little bit of aggravation and a gang of kids kicked down the doors on all of the garages.

"A young lady who lives in the street banged on my window this morning and shouted that she'd found a coffin in the garage.

"We reported it to the police, but they still haven't attended.

"I won't go in there for obvious reasons.

"It's a proper coffin that you lower into the ground.

"It's on top of another big wooden box with rope handles, such as the ones they use to bring troops home from abroad."

He added: "I work for a newsagent and find a lot of funny things, but I've never found a coffin.

"It sounds weird and wonderful.

"It's probably quite innocent, but it's not the sort of thing you want to see in a garage."

He said no one knew who owned the garage, and were keen to find out.

When the lid was opened, there was nothing but a pillow inside and lettering in a foreign script.

A police spokesman confirmed they had received calls about the finding, and had referred it to the area's neighbourhood policing team.