Our Father, who art in Hebburn

Colin Cram, the 44-year-old second cousin of Olympic athlete Steve Cram, dropped his trowel in shock when he stepped back to admire his handiwork and saw the face of Jesus staring back at him.

A local priest has now visited his house and carried out a formal blessing, struck by the image's similarity to the famous Turin Shroud.

Colin's neighbours heard of Father Leonard Skinner's visit and began to file in to have a look.

Word spread further still and in the five weeks since the miracle of the mortar, almost 200 people have flocked to his tiny kitchen.

At times the queue of people has stretched through his living room and almost onto the street.

Callers have told Colin that their visit to his home has left them feeling at peace with themselves and desperate to do good deeds.

Colin, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, believes the image is a message from his mother, Lilian, who died 15 years ago from cancer.

Unemployed Colin said: "I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. I stood back and at first I thought it must have been the paint fumes.

"There was the head of Christ just coming through the plaster. Me and my brother Tom had been working on the wall.

"He did the first coat and it was when we came to put the second coat on that the image began to come through.

"It seems to be a case of 'Our Father, who art in Hebburn'."

After the appearance Colin, unable to believe his own eyes, went to Fr Skinner, from St Oswald's C of E Church in Hebburn.

Fr Skinner, 64, said: "You can certainly see the image of Christ as much as it appears in the famous Turin Shroud.

'I don't known why it appears, or if it is just a coincidence. But I did bless the house, and if it changes people's lives into doing good then it can't be a bad thing.

"I blessed the house and left some prayers for anyone who visits."

Colin added: "I just hope thousands don't flock to my front door hoping to see a miracle."