I’ve just found my dream home in Blackpool and I discovered a 38-year-old mural hidden behind the wallpaper

Frasers store manager, Chantelle Audin and her fiance Tom, were shocked when they stripped back the wallpaper on the staircase of their new home and discovered a 38-year-old mural.

The homeowners, who had just moved to the Stanley Park area, had begun stripping back wallpaper as part of a full refurbishment.

What she found beneath the layers was far more than old paint and plaster. She uncovered pieces of a family’s forgotten history.

Chantelle said: “We’ve stripped the whole house and have found old newspapers, writing on the wall, and this mural.

“We bought the house in March and are now renovating the whole house as it hadn’t been decorated for at least 30 years.

“We came across the mural on the second day of living at the house when we began stripping the wallpaper on the staircase.”

The striking discoveries including the hand-painted mural along the staircase, as well as a handwritten message tucked beneath the wallpaper reading: ‘Jim and Jean Gannon moved in April 1986.’

The store manager is now hoping to connect with anyone who may know or had known the people who once lived in her home.

She believes Jean may been Jean Windfred. She’s shared photos of the mural and the messages on social media, sparking curiosity.

Chantelle said: “We’ve put a post on Facebook trying to discover more about the mural, we’ve found messages on walls from a Jim and Jean Gannon who lived in the house in the 80’s.

“There’s also a mention of a Henry Silver in 1952, but other than that the deeds don’t provide much information to those that have lived in the house.”

Old newspapers hidden under carpets also offer a glimpse into the era. Part of what appears to be a time capsule left behind by the Gannons.

Chantelle now hopes to peserve the mural for future generations.

She said: “My partner specialises in restoration and has his own business doing so, recently completing restoration works on Marsh Mill in Thornton.

“He’s researching into the best way to restore and preserve the mural and plans to add beading around the mural to create a feature.”

The mural itself remains a mystery, its origin and meaning are unclear, but Chantelle hopes someone out there will recognise it and help piece together the home’s story.

If you know anything about the mural email [email protected]