A couple were stunned to find a secret 200-year-old well that goes 27ft underground after they started renovations on their cottage. 

Victoria Ellington, 36, and her husband Andrew, 40, discovered the ancient well when they were doing work on their property that they bought during the pandemic.

The couple, from Redcar in North Yorkshire, decided to incorporate the characterful feature - thought to be centuries-old - in the building instead of covering it up.

It still contained crystal-clear water and after months of hard work, they managed to install a pump to create their very own wishing well, covered by protective glass.

Victoria Ellington, 36, and her husband Andrew, 40, discovered the ancient well when they were doing work on their cottage that they bought during the pandemic

The couple, from North Yorkshire, decided to incorporate the characterful feature in the property instead of covering it up

It still contained crystal-clear water and after months of hard work, they managed to install a pump to create their very own wishing well

The couple even added a slot in the quirky water feature to make wishes through.

Mother-of-two Victoria said: 'We bought the cottage during the 2020 Covid lockdown and Andrew, who is a builder, started renovating it.

'We were planning to add an extension and build a family home but the foundations started slipping and we knew something was up.

'One day Andrew found this deep hole and realised it was quite a deep well right on top of the property by the front door.

'He was digging at the foundations and all the soil was falling into this hole.

'He just sent me a photo and said: 'Oh my god, have you seen this?'

'We knew then that we couldn't build an extension so Andrew just decided to make it part of the building and we could rent the cottage out.'

Instead of paving over the well, the couple covered it with a glass walkway and lined the walls of the shaft with lights.

Victoria said: 'Our sons were excited about having a wishing well so we thought we should make that a reality.

Andrew attempted to measure the well at the cottage - it is estimated to be around 27ft deep 

The well is now covered by glass - allowing guests to peer all the way down the 27ft hole 

'We've put lights down the walls of the well and the glass is toughened.

'We can pump water into the well and we've got a little slot for people to make wishes.

'You can see right down to the bottom. Andrew tried to measure a few times and I think it is around 27ft deep.'

The couple completed the renovation earlier this month and Victoria added: 'The well makes it a bit different. When I saw it I was totally blown away and every time I see it I just totally love it.'