HERE’S something you don’t see every day! It’s a painting by legendary artist Vincent Van Gogh that the art world had thought was lost for all time until it was accidentally “found” in an Abergavenny lock-up earlier this week.

Painted during the melancholy genius’s blue period, the piece is thought to be called ‘Starry Starry Ducks’ and is renowned for possessing a larger than life like quality.

Critics of yesteryear heaped lavish praise upon the lost painting for the manner in which it poignantly captured the infinite sadness of a mother duck leading her helpless ducklings through the swirling chaos of an indifferent universe.

In 1910 the painting went inexplicably missing from the gallery in Paris where it once hung.

There were rumours that a pie maker from Merthyr Tydfil was responsible for the theft but this has never been proven.

Although considered lost to posterity, the classic Van Gogh was discovered on Monday afternoon buried under a crate of old Lego pieces in a Mardy garage.

The owner of the garage who wishes to be identified only by the name of Steve, told the Chronicle, “I brought the lock-up, contents and all, in an auction in early May. Me and the boys were going through it this week, and it was mostly worthless junk like Jamie Oliver cookbooks and Ed Sheeran CDs, that sort of thing, but beneath a box of old Lego pieces, we noticed a painting in an old frame wrapped in bubblewrap with a note stuck to it which read, ‘Priceless! Do not throw out!’”

Steve added, “After ripping open the bubble wrap with my Stanley knife and wiping away the dust with my hand, I noticed it was a weird painting of ducks. Not knowing much about art but appreciating the frame was one of those ornate jobbies, I got this guy I know from the posh part of town to evaluate it.

“He took one look at it from his Avenue Road garden and said, ’Steve! If I’m not mistaken that’s a missing Van Gogh and you sir are now a very rich man.’”

After having it confirmed by “some expert in London,” Steve has now employed the services of art critic Nelly Nawton to sell the painting to the highest bidder.

Mr Newton told the Chronicle, “I can confirm that this is a genuine Van Gogh. How it ended up in Abergavenny is anyone’s guess, but the entire art world is extremely excited at the find.

“Van Gogh may have died an unrecognised pauper but this painting is sure to make a few select individuals absolute millions! Happy days!”

If you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably guessed we’re talking nonsense. It’s not a painting but a photo taken from the Llanfoist Bridge as the duck and her ducklings waded through some sort of nastiness sitting ugly on the waters of the River Usk.

It's not art but it is a good example of how a powerful zoom can be a reporter’s best friend when wandering aimlessly and looking for a story.