Spooky season is well underway on Dartmoor as two hikers discovered a rare fungi that emits a putrid rotting flesh smell.

Becky Harrison was undergoing navigation training in the Merrivale area, near Princetown, yesterday, Thursday, when her instructor Martin Williams discovered a rare growth amongst the grass.

To both of their surprise they had come across the rare Devil’s Finger fungus, also known as the Octopus Stinkhorn which emits a rotting flesh smell once it has matured.

Becky, from the South Hams, said: “I was working on my bearings when I suddenly heard Martin shout out in shock, I turned around and thought ‘what have I done wrong?’ and then I saw it. Amongst the undergrowth was the Devil’s Fingers fungus, it was about the size of my hand and a vibrant red colour.”

According to The Wildlife Trust, the devil’s fingers fungus hatches from a slimy, gelatinous ‘egg’.

As it grows, the tentacle-like arms start to protrude.

The fungus smells like rotting flesh which attract insects to arms where the spores are found. The spores are then spread by the visiting insects.

Becky continued: “I’ve been hiking on Dartmoor since I was nine-years-old and have never come across the Devil’s Fingers fungus before. This one seemed to be early in its growth as the fingers were still stuck together and it had just come out of its egg.”

The Devil’s Fingers fungus, scientific name Clathrus archeri, originates from the southern hemisphere and was first discovered in Britain in 1914.

It is most commonly found in environments with abundant decaying organic matter such as leaf litter and mulch.

The fungus has been spotted across Dartmoor by hikers and commoners over the years but still remains an extremely rare find.