Mysterious 'ugly woman' painting baffles Winchester couple Published duration 3 October 2013

media caption Keith Webb said his wife Sue does not want the portrait in their house

A couple have been left "mystified" after an oil painting of an "ugly" woman in a white headscarf was sent to them in the post with no explanation.

The parcel was addressed to Keith Webb at his home in Winchester, Hampshire, and contained the unmarked portrait.

He said his wife Sue felt "threatened" by the image, which arrived on Wednesday without an accompanying note, so they banished it to the garage.

Royal Mail has been unable to tell the couple the identity of the sender.

'Horrid old crone'

Mr Webb, 82, said: "My wife and I were mystified. I opened it up and there was this extraordinary painting.

image caption Keith Webb does not want to keep the painting

"It [has] no artist's name on it and no title, but it is of this rather unpleasant looking old lady with a hooked nose.

"It's a painting of such a horrid old crone - my wife won't have it in the house."

Mr Webb said he had taken it to a local auctioneers who told him it was between 200 and 300 years old and worth about £200.

He added that none of his relatives had died recently so he did not think the painting had been left to him in a will.

Mr Webb also contacted Parcelforce, but all he was told was that the parcel was sent from a WHSmith post office.