IT MAY smell of excrement, but fungus experts are celebrating the discovery of a rare species just outside Worcester.

Kenneth Barham stumbled across a cluster of Clathrus ruber after trimming back an old yew tree at Broadwas Court.

The fungus hardly ever grows outside the Mediterranean and may not be seen for years if it fails to fruit again next year.

The organism has aroused keen interest among enthusiasts and will eventually be sent to the national botanical collections at Kew Gardens in London.

Mr Barham, who lives at Broadwas Court, said the discovery was made around three months ago.

"When I told the Worcestershire Fungus Group they were in disbelief, but they came and they were bowled over," he said.

"It is nice to know that something this rare is still growing here. We have decided to fence the area off to protect it."

Fungi expert and leader of the group, Tim Bateman, said he was still scratching his head over an explanation for the Clathrus' appearance.

"It tends to grow in warm climates, which is obviously not here," he said.

"Nobody really knows how they get here. They can be imported where the spores lie dormant and have been found in the Channel Islands.

"They can lie dormant for years and when the right conditions occur, suddenly fruit. It could be that when Mr Barham cut back the yew tree, there was a bit more warmth from being out of the shade."

The Clathrus, often known as the Cage fungus because of its cage-like appearance when it opens, has tiny filaments that usually lie underground.

When it does fruit, it gives off an odour like excrement, which attracts flies that pick up the spores and disperse them.

Mr Bateman said the terrible smell meant plans to send a sample of the fungus down to London might be put on the backburner.

"I think it might be a bit beyond the call of duty to have something that smells of excrement drying out in the house."

Worcestershire is a ripe spot for fungi, with the rare Earth Star having been spotted on several occasions, and regularly attracts enthusiasts from around the country.