This extraordinary looking skeleton looks more suited to a Ridley Scott movie than a Lancashire kitchen.

The mysterious remains, which bear more than a passing resemblance to the terrifying creature in the Alien horror film, were discovered under a kitchen cabinet in the Rea family home in Altcar, Lancashire.

Former record label boss Kevin Rea, 55, found it when he pulled out the footboards between the cupboard and the floor to dry the units out after a leak.

Now he is trying to discover what on earth the skeleton may have been.

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What on earth is it? This mysterious skeleton was found under a kitchen cupboard in Altcar, Lancashire

Mr Rea, who has lived at the ancient stone cottage on the Leverhulme Estate with wife, George, 47, and son, Eden, 13, for five years, said he found it in a cocoon-like nest under the cupboard.

He said: 'A plumber told me I had to dry out the footboards after a leak, and when I took one of them off, I found a collection of cleaning products but also this weird nest.

'And inside it was this thing.

'I have no idea what it is, but when I saw it I thought of the alien that bursts out of John Hurt's chest in the film.'

Mr Rea, who revolutionised dance music with his hit, Technotronic's Pump Up The Jam, took some photographs of the skeleton, which he said was around six inches long, and then threw it away because it was 'disgusting'.

In Ridley Scott's 1979 classic, the Alien stalked and killed the crew of Nostromo after being brought on board the craft using hapless Kane, played by John Hurt, as a host.

The terrifying film, which starred Sigourney Weaver as heroine Ripley, became a cult classic and spawned a franchise with three sequels and an Alien Vs Predator spin-off.

The creature was designed by Swiss surrealist painter and sculpter H.R. Giger, who won an Oscar for his design work on the film.

Today experts were divided on what the remains might have been.

Kevin Rea, 55, said the skeleton he discovered in his kitchen reminded him of Ridley Scott's horror film, Alien

Terrifying creature: In Ridley Scott's Alien films, the aliens are terrifying beasts that take over Nostromo

Stuart Hine, who runs the Natural History Museum's Identification and Advisory Service, said: 'Depending on size, it's either a rat or mouse, and the alien appearance is due to the skull being reversed and pointing backwards.

'The front legs and shoulder blades are also absent, which helps give it the alien appearance.

The cocoon-like nest mentioned will have been the remaining skin, fur and webbing remaining from the feeding of moths.'

He added: 'The tail still looks to be covered in skin so it is only likely to be a year or two old.'

Amy Fensome, from the Biosciences College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Exeter, told MailOnline: 'That looks very much like a very large rat, but the head has twisted around so that the skull is turned to look over the shoulder.'