Authorities Arrive To Isolate Man’s Home After Discovery Of Unusual Rock

Taking A Walk

It all began in the spring of 2016. Steven Whitten and his wife, Viola, were walking along Middleton Sands. This was their favorite stretch of beach in Lancashire, England. The beach had magnificent views of the Irish Sea and was just a short distance away from their home. They lived in the village of Overton.

Taking A Walk

Favorite Spot

While Middleton Sands is a rather well-known place among hikers and dog owners, Steven and Viola loved walking along a less popular area. However, they did not fancy the idea of being enclosed by people when they were trying to relax.

Favorite Spot

Something Was Off

Absorbing their surroundings, Steven suddenly started noticing a weird, acrid smell in the air. Little did the two know that they were about to encounter something that would change their lives forever.

Something Was Off

Curious Couple

The aroma in the air was somewhat of a rotting fish smell. They had never come across something like it before. Even though they were put off by the smell, they were anxious to know what it was. They continued walking and noticed a greyish lump moderately smaller than a rugby ball.

Curious Couple

Strange Rock

The couple followed the bad odor right to its source. Lying washed up on the beach was a weird and funky-smelling rock. It was similar in size to a football. What exactly did the couple find?

Strange Rock

Curious

Steven stretched his arm out, touching the rock carefully. He had read about weird beach finds in the past, especially in their area. But he had never heard of anything like this being found before. His curiosity had been ignited.

Curious

Distinct Odor

He inspected the smell but straight away realized that he had never experienced anything like it before. The small was so awful, but also very distinct. “It was like a cross between squid and farmyard manure,” he said.

Distinct Odor

Jackpot

The pair had always dreamed of the day that they would strike gold and become rich. Perhaps this was that day. What started as a normal day, changed altogether and they never even saw it coming.

Jackpot

The Next Step

The couple contemplated what to do with the rock. Should they leave it there because of its horrific smell or would they take it home? This was not the easiest decision. Hmm, what do you think they decided to do?

The Next Step

Taking A Chance

Well, this couple was not going to give up just yet. Like, we said, they always wanted to make a fortune and there was a chance that this find could be valuable. So they took their chances. They really anticipated that it would be worth a lot of money and could possibly help them buy a static caravan

Taking A Chance

Taking It Home

After much deliberation, the man picked up the rock and wrapped it in his wife’s scarf. He wanted to make sure it stayed safe. He did not want anyone to see his new discovery. Steven couldn’t wait to go online and do some research about this suspicious object.

Taking It Home

Getting Help

As soon as they got home, Steven got out his fisherman’s scales to weigh the strange mass. The reading said 3.5 pounds, which he was super thrilled about. Although, he knew that he needed some help if he was going to get to the bottom of this.

Getting Help

Ideas Forming

After much consideration, he decided to turn to a community group on Facebook. Posting a picture of the “rock” online, the post was soon inundated with comments to read. Just wait till you see what happened next.

Ideas Forming

Could It Be A Meteor?

The responses were coming in so rapidly, and many had very bizarre ideas. Some people guessed that it was a piece of volcanic rock that came from deep in the ocean. Others insisted it looked like a meteor.

Could It Be A Meteor

The Possibilities Were Endless

One amateur meteorologist quickly recommended that Steven tries the “magnet test” to find out for sure. This guy was so certain that he was right, but it turned out that they were all very wrong…

The Possibilities Were Endless

Unidentified

“It feels like a rock-hard rubber ball, its texture is like wax, like a candle. When you touch it, you get wax sticking to your fingers,” Steven explained later in an interview. What could this be?

Unidentified

Panic Levels High

Nonetheless, what was it about the strange “rock” that would cause such a commotion in the Whitten home? After Steven held the object against a magnet, he knew this may the time for a bit of hysteria. We are starting to get nervous too…

Panic Levels High

Staying Cautious

At that moment, he was a bit uneasy. It was him and his wife testing an unknown rock they found on the beach. They had no proof whether it was dangerous and could harm them in any way. He simply knew that he had to be careful.

Staying Cautious

What Is The Magnet Test?

So, for those of you who don’t know, the magnet test is the best way to test if something is legitimate gold. Fake gold will always attract magnets. The use of the magnet permits people to reveal the actual material that they have discovered.

What Is The Magnet Test@

Phone Call

Indeed, the “magnet test” had proved that the “rock” didn’t contain any iron. But what did this completely mean? This implied that it was not a meteorite. Steven has yet to find an explanation for the object’s filthy smell.

Phone Call

Things Were Picking Up

He then realized that he had no idea what was in his possession. He didn’t even know if it was risky. And so, he made a quick phone call. Minutes later, out of nowhere men in protective gear arrived at his house.

Things Were Picking Up

Seeking Experts

At this point, it was obvious that he did not know what the situation was. While people online surely helped, this was something out of his control. He needed to appeal for the help of experts, and that is actually what he did. But wait until you see whats ensues next…

Seeking Experts

Quarantined

Two officials showed up at the house and blocked it off right away. They then went inside to predispose the substance safely while Steven and Viola stood outside giving them directions. They waited patiently.

Quarantined

Getting To The Bottom Of It

The so-called “rock” that they had discovered was situated inside a box on the dining room table. After precise examination, the officials came back out and gave the startled couple the news. It was absolutely shocking, nothing they imagined.

Getting To The Bottom Of It

At A Loss

Steven held his wife close as he waited calmly as they tried to understand what the conundrum was all about. He couldn’t help but think the worst. The “rock” was so peculiar looking and the facial expressions of the officials did not make it any easier for him.

At A Loss

True Identity

When the authorities told Steven that the item he picked up wasn’t dangerous, he breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t a piece of waste that was chucked on the beach. But, when the officials told him what the “rock” really was, he was absolutely shocked. They told him that while they’re exceptionally rare, lumps of ambergris wash up on the shore occasionally. But what is ambergris?

True Identity

Ambergris

So, in the end, it’s revealed that ambergris has been a highly desired substance for centuries. It is commonly known for its horrendous smell – “like a cross between squid and farmyard manure” – but its stench becomes sweeter over time. This object has been used in lavish perfumes for hundreds of years. Some historians have even gone as far as believing the material is edible.

Ambergris

Whale By-Product

So, fun fact, Ambergris is actually a whale by-product. It’s produced in the bile ducts of whales and then it gets discharged. While this sounds pretty horrific, it’s extremely rare so once one is found it’s worth a fortune. Steven and Viola were just very lucky that they were the ones who stumbled across it while walking on the beach. To this day, they can’t believe their luck. However, there was a catch to their discovery…

Whale By Product

Sperm Whales

Ambergris comes from one specific whale, the sperm whale. These whales can found in oceans all around the world, including Britain’s coastal waters. The Sperm Whale can grow to be 67 feet long and they can weigh over 63 tons. Even though the sperm whales populations has increased, they haven’t always been so  weren’t always so plenteous.

Sperm Whales

Endangered

In past years, sperm whales were regularly hunted for their blubber. It was used to make anything from candles to soap to machine oil and even pencils. And in fact, ambergris was also yielded for its scent. Sadly, as many as one million whales were killed in the 19th and 20th centuries. During the 1980s, a prohibition on whaling was passed – it also included ambergris.

Endangered

Very Rare

In addition to the ambergris’ mystery and uniqueness is the fact that it’s produced very slowly – over the years. There is also some understanding that not all sperm whales can produce it. Experts believe that just about 1% of the sperm whale population will produce this substance. Strangely enough, it’s mostly found in the Atlantic Ocean.

Very Rare

Contraband

In many parts of the world, the trade of ambergris has been forbidden. This includes the United States. In America, the misconduct of trading ambergris characterizes just one part on a wider ban on hunting and exploiting whales. Fortunately for Steven, in the UK, ambergris is considered to be a waste product. So how much was it worth exactly?

Contraband

Floating Gold

The Whittens were flabbergasted to learn that another lump of ambergris was found on the beach by a man in Morecambe. Which was not very far from where Steven and Viola found their own. That piece ended up selling for a whopping  $155,000! We’re also wondering just how much the Whittens get for their piece of “floating gold”?

Floating Gold

Loads Of Cash

The sample of ambergris that was found in Morecambe weighed about 6 pounds. This concludes that it was twice the size of the Whittens’ piece. Still, that meant that their ambergris could sell for around $65,000! That’s an unbelievable amount of money for a piece of whale by-product if we do say so ourselves. So, what did the Whittens do with their findings?

Loads Of Cash

Following Their Dreams

With their valuable fortune, how exactly would the couple choose to spend their money -settle their debt or pay off their mortgage? Maybe they would go into early retirement? A perfect example of “British restraint”, Steven told the Daily Mirror, “If it is worth a lot of money, it will go a long way towards buying us a static caravan. It would be a dream come true.”

Following Their Dreams

It feels as if everyone wishes for the day the house of their dreams will finally be theirs. Well, the man we’re about to talk about got a whole lot more than he bargained for when he bought himself a house. As he was exploring his new property, Christopher found something that turned his entire life upside down.

House of His Dreams

Christopher was intrigued and so, he started investigating his surroundings. He didn’t know, however, that going down the terrifying tunnel meant that there was no coming back. He kept on going when he was told by a police officer and a realtor not to go any further.

House of His Dreams

Investigating

When Christopher was done investigating and he had all the proof in front of him, he knew his only choice was to leave and never return. What was it that he found when he explored his new home?

Investigating

Wandering The Woodland

Christopher Wanliss bought a new property not all that long ago. It rested on 16.5-hectare woodland fields. He was so thrilled to own a space that was totally his own. Little did he know, however, that he was about to come across a portal of sorts in the land he owned.

Wandering The Woodland

A Tour Of His Land

Still, it seemed like this is what fate had in store for Christopher. Once, he went on a tour of his new property and its surrounding area. The seasons were harsh that year, and they had stripped away the outer layers of the trees. This only made the area look even more beautiful.

A Tour Of His Land

Autopilot

Christopher loved everything the area had to offer. From the birdsongs to the silence and stillness of the forest, he couldn’t get enough of it all. It wasn’t long before his feet started making their own way as his body and mind went into auto-pilot mode. All of a sudden, something caught his eye.

Autopilot

Was It A Tree?

Christopher still felt like he was in some kind of haze when he approached the object that caught his interest. It was small and dark, almost as if it was in hiding. Could it have just been another tree? A smaller, older tree than the others?

Was It A Tree?

The Mysterious Structure

While that was his initial thought, he had the feeling that he was wrong as soon as he came closer. He felt a thrill of excitement and a little bit of terror as he continued inspecting it. Christopher then stumbled and fell down into a 3-foot ditch!

The Mysterious Structure

Abandoned And Old

Covered in mud and leaves, Christopher was dumbfounded by the fall. He shook it all off and looked at what was right in front of him. What he saw baffled him. Did he really just discover a mine located on his land? Judging by the way it looked, it seemed old and abandoned. He felt the need to investigate what the structure might have been hiding.

Abandoned And Old

The Walls

The outside of the mine was covered with moss-like material. It was difficult to look inside. Christopher was so excited to embark on a new adventure, so he went home and got a flashlight that would allow him to see inside.

The Walls

A Ton Of Mines

Christopher spoke about that moment, saying, “When we bought the house, nobody ever told us about the fact that the estate had a lot of mines on it. We just sort of stumbled upon the gold mine one day and that was it. When I first saw it, I was so excited that I almost fell over myself. The only thing that I could think about was Indiana Jones and underground railroads.”

A Ton Of Mines

A Bad Decision

At the time, he had no idea this would be the single worst decision he would ever make. All the same, he made it back to the entrance of the mine, now armed with his trusted flashlight. He was holding his breath as he spotted something sparkly on the walls when he stepped inside. What could it have been?

A Bad Decision

Echoing Footsteps

The walls were damp and looked as if they would crumble down at any moment. Christopher’s footsteps echoed and he couldn’t help but think about all that soil pressing down on the structure. He wanted to stay there for a little while and this was clear seeing as he took a flashlight as well as three backup batteries.

Echoing Footsteps

Sparkling Material

When he made his way closer to the walls, he couldn’t help but brush his hand along the sparkling material of the stones. He remembered thinking, “What if this was gold?” Soon enough, he forgot about all of that when he noticed something that would instantly change the course of his adventure.

Sparkling Material

Cold And Damp Inside

Despite the temperature outside, the mine was cold and damp. Christopher was quick to notice that the footprints he made left 4-inch indentations in the ground. It looked as if there was some kind of source of water seeing as there were fresh pools inside. He worried about that since he knew puddles in places like this could mean trouble.

Cold And Damp Inside

The Sound Of An Echo

As he looked ahead of him with the flashlight, he still couldn’t see the end of the tunnel. He saw there was someone or something else in there. Then, he started hearing noises echoing inside the tunnel. Curious, he began following the source of the sound. Clearly, he didn’t know that was the wrong thing to do.

The Sound Of An Echo

No Light, No Warmth

As he kept on walking down the tunnel, the air didn’t move. There was no warmth and no light. He held tightly onto his flashlight. It felt almost as if he was holding a blade, ready for battle. The noise got louder. He suddenly heard old metal parts and machinery somewhere along the path.

No Light, No Warmth

Something Hiding

At that point, he also started hearing voices! He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but Christopher gathered the nerves to shout, “Who’s there?” The only response he got was his own echo. He was determined to see who was hiding in there.

Something Hiding

Old Ventilation System

Christopher was now surrounded by dirt and water, his boots went in deeper and deeper into the ground as he walked along. He caught sight of a yellow ventilation system that was in place. It looked like it was falling apart. There were also chains hanging low near each other – they were all molding and rusting.

Old Ventilation System

Weird Energy

Suddenly, Christopher felt very strange, as if there was weird energy down there with him. Something was pulling him back. He felt like he shouldn’t have been there. All the same, he kept following the path of the water to see where it was coming from. Maybe that was where he would locate the sources of the voice he had heard. Was someone living down there?

Weird Energy

Finally Some Light

“The ambient temperature also seemed to suddenly drop all around me at this point, and I felt an even stronger negative presence ahead in the tunnel,” he said. He was almost 150 feet into the tunnel when he turned around to find some light near the entrance.

Finally Some Light

Swinging

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing as soon as he looked back. He was only able to stand there for two seconds before his body finally reacted. He jumped and held onto the walls, feeling his claustrophobia getting worse. One of the chains began swinging!

Swinging

Who Was There?

It wasn’t just a light movement – it was moving with strength. He knew someone was down there, watching him. His heart was pounding as he ran all the way back to the entrance. He knew he had to get out and call someone about what he saw. The only question was who?

Who Was There?

The First Call

Terrified and sweating, he made his way home. Immediately, Christopher reached for his phone and called the realtor. He then began describing what he saw on the walls, the glittering substance that shone a light on the small yet deep tunnel. The realtor told him they were sending someone to take a look at it.

The First Call

Mining Hills

“When we went to ask about the place, we were finally told that the estate had actually been home to quite a lot of mining sites. A lot of mining was done in these hills at the turn of the century, and there are a lot of little mines that are scattered across the hills,” Christopher recalled. While he initially felt better after making the call, he tensed up again immediately after. “This cannot be happening!” he said.

Mining Hills

Dropping Temperatures and Flickering Lights

Christopher was standing in the kitchen when the call ended. To his surprise, the lights started flickering. He tried controlling the panic rising in his chest and started breathing faster. The lights kept flickering for a while. Until everything suddenly went dark.

Dropping Temperatures and Flickering Lights

To The Thermostat

He went to the light switch and turned it on and off. Nothing happened. Instead, he started feeling a chill that wasn’t there moments earlier. Suddenly, a breeze hit his face. Quickly, Christopher got the flashlight from his pocket, turned it on, and directed it to the thermostat.

To The Thermostat

Quite The Temperature Drop

He saw that the temperature inside fell a lot and that his breath made a cloud in front of him. He thought, “How strange”. Wanting to get the power back on, he went to the circuit breaker. A fuse might have just blown.

Quite The Temperature Drop

Technical Problems

As he looked at the breaker, it didn’t seem like anything was wrong. Everything was in the right place and the main fuse looked perfectly okay. As he was looking, he attempted switching different things on and off. Thankfully, this worked. He was relieved nothing more sinister was at play.

Technical Problems

The Doorbell Rang

“Faulty wiring,” he told himself. Still, he felt nervous. He went back upstairs to get himself a glass of water and calm down. The minute he got there, he heard the doorbell ring. What could it have been this time?

The Doorbell Rang

Meet Mr. Rudall

Mr. Rudall introduced himself quickly and explained he was sent by the real estate agent. He wanted to see what Christopher had just found and was interested in the substance he described over the phone.

Meet Mr. Rudall

The Calm Before The Storm

Christopher took Rudall to the entrance of the mine and warned him to be careful as he made his way down so he wouldn’t hurt himself. As they walked through the woods, the sky turned a deep gray color. Just like it would right before a storm.

The Calm Before The Storm

Troubling Words

When they reached the mine, the two took out their flashlights. The glittering substance was even more evident this time around. The glare hit them in the face. Rudall approached the walls to take a closer look, unable to contain his excitement. When he turned to Christopher, he felt almost as if the mine was trying to communicate something to him. He then told Christopher something troubling.

Troubling Words

Old Gossip

Rudall began telling Christopher how that mine was definitely a gold mine that was made long ago. As he looked at the walls, it was clear that the gold was untouched. There was enough evidence that the miners didn’t finish the job and instead abandoned the mine. But the question was why?

Old Gossip

Abandoned Gold

Rudall explained that there were a lot of rumors about mining at the turn of the century. However, he didn’t know about any specific gold mines before this one. Why did the miners abandon the mine and leave all that gold? Nothing good came to mind. Still, Christopher wanted to find the truth.

Abandoned Gold

Knock Knock

He gathered all his courage to investigate the mine further. There were two things on his mind. One is that he could find the gold instead. The second being that the tunnel could very well be haunted. He prepared himself and went inside with extra batteries and the flashlight in his hand. As he kept on walking, darkness seeped in around him.

Knock Knock

The Source Of The Water

The last time around, he was only able to make it 150 feet into the dark tunnel. Christopher knew he had to keep going no matter what would happen. It was the only way he could get to the bottom of things. When he was 600 feet into the tunnel, he finally found the source of the water. It was a door.

The Source Of The Water

Shivers

A chill went through his body and the water falling onto his face blurred his vision. He inhaled a sharp breath and raised his fist to knock, knowing full well that there would be no answer. He opened the door and had the shock of his life.

Shivers

A Different World Altogether

It looked like he walked into an entirely different world. No matter what the weather was like outside, the room was freezing cold. Christopher touched the walls and they felt even colder and rougher than those outside. He felt his claustrophobia seeping in, telling him to go outside immediately. At that moment, his flashlight hit something else.

A Different World Altogether

Something Was Going On

There were a lot of ruined objects huddled together, but none of them made sense. Why would anyone leave all their things in such a place? He felt like the air had thickened, a huge pressure building in his chest. Something weird was going on and he couldn’t figure out what.

Screenshot 7

Living Down There

When he inspected the junk, Christopher saw a bedspring. It was all rusted and torn. It was the only answer he needed. Someone had lived there and it didn’t look like they were in a hurry to go anywhere. Christopher couldn’t get the thought out of his mind when something else caught his eye.

Living Down There

In Hiding

He suddenly saw a brick hideaway. This did nothing to comfort him. Who would need a hideaway door inside a mine? Someone must have been trying to hide something important. Christopher’s curiosity got the better of him and he approached the hole. However, he found nothing. As he turned to make his way back out, he found something else on the walls of the brick structure.

In Hiding

A Brick Hideout

Using his flashlight, he lit up the bricks and saw some white scratches on the walls. He couldn’t make out what it said until he went closer. That was when he was able to see that there were four vertical lines in the walls. It was strange, to say the least.

A Brick Hideout

Nightmarish

He ran his hand over the markings, inspecting them. It felt like the scratches were made with fingernails seeing as they were superficial but deep enough to mark the cement. Who was so eager to escape this place? As he was thinking about this, he found yet another thing that would haunt his nightmares.

Nightmarish

Writing On The Wall

On the opposite wall, Christopher saw even more scratches, only they weren’t just lines. They were indecipherable, so he decided to document it. He took his camera out and took a picture. Maybe later he’d be able to use his computer to investigate it and decode it.

Writing On The Wall

Chills Went Through His Body

Suddenly, he heard something that made a chill run down his spine. There was someone else down there. He turned his flashlight to the direction of the noise. There was nothing there. He kept looking at the writing on the wall until he heard metal clanging and he felt a cold breeze on his shoulder.

Chills Went Through His Body

He Sprinted

It felt as if he had just gone through a cold shower as all the warmth in his body dissipated. At first, it almost looked like it came from behind him, then the front, and then he couldn’t figure it out anymore. It seemed to come from all directions at that point. It was getting louder and louder. Christopher ran for his life.

He Sprinted

Running For His Life

He felt shivers run down his spine, ice in his veins as he ran. Christopher couldn’t help but feel like something was very wrong. His mind told him to be still, but his body kept dragging him towards the entrance of the mine. When he made it out, he grasped his chest and collapsed.

Running For His Life

So Right, It Was Wrong

He should have known that things were too right – they were wrong. An untouched gold mine was too good to be true. There had to be a reason it was abandoned the way it was. Christopher gathered himself and headed home.

So Right, It Was Wrong

Like A Madman

Everything was still. It almost felt like the air absorbed the sound of Christopher’s footsteps. The trees didn’t move, as if they knew how tense the situation was. He ran like a madman. He knew he had to figure out what was going on.

Like A Madman

Help From Google

When he finally made it to his house, he went straight to his study and shut himself inside. Something strange was going on at the mine and he needed answers. He decided to make use of the internet and find the answers to his questions.

Help From Google