A LUNCHTIME stroll became a fungus hunter's fantasy for a building contractor after he discovered an enormous fungus growing in the middle of a South Lakeland field, reports Ruth Lythe.

Richard Coatup found the monster fungus, which measures 34cms by 30cms, sprouting in solitary splendour at Town Head Fold at Holme while out walking his dog, Max.

Mr Coatup, 35, said: "At first I thought it was a plastic bag but then I realised it was a giant mushroom. At the time it was there on its own with nothing growing around it but I haven't yet been back to check whether any other mushrooms have come up as yet."

An amazed Mr Coatup, of Bingley, Yorkshire, decided to pick the super-sized specimen and has taken it home, with the possibility of cooking it in the next few days.

He said: "It didn't look like it would be harmful and it is identical to the normal mushrooms that you see in shops. It is round and, in terms of texture and smell, it is like any other mushroom and very soft on the inside although I don't know yet about its flavour."

Mr Coatup says that he is planning to serve the fungus up as a teatime treat but before he does so he would like to know whether the mushroom is a record-breaker.

He said: "When I got home I looked up a bit about it on the internet and I know that is a long way off the world record but I would like to know whether it is a British one."

Windermere mushroom hunter Richard Nelson, who leads a series of guided fungi walks for The Lake District National Park Authority, warned that novice mushroom hunters should only pick up a fungus when they know exactly what it is. But he said that from Mr Coatup's description the mystery mushroom was probably a Giant Puffball a common type of fungus that often grows to enormous sizes.

He said: "It sounds like a giant puffball to me, which can make very good eating for a lot of people if it is in good condition."