It is the size of a kitchen sink and could have once been home to around 10,000 wasps.

Eastern Daily Press: Taverham builder Fred Goodall thought nothing of attempting to remove this huge nest from a home in Hevingham. Photo: Fred GoodallTaverham builder Fred Goodall thought nothing of attempting to remove this huge nest from a home in Hevingham. Photo: Fred Goodall (Image: Archant)

But Taverham builder Fred Goodall thought nothing of attempting to remove this huge nest from a home in Hevingham - while shirtless.

The 58-year-old, who runs Goodall Builders, made the discovery in the ceiling of a porch he was renovating.

But rather than running in fear, he took out his handsaw and started cutting it down.

Fortunately the nest had been abandoned, but it would have once been home to around 10,000 of the insects.

Mr Goodall, who discovered the nest earlier this month, said: 'I was working on a garage and porch conversion and I had to get to the ceiling. When I took it down, there was this huge nest above the front door.

'I have taken loads of nests down before and none of them have even been half the size of this one. It was about 3ft wide and there were a few hundred dead wasps around it.'

The homeowners had been away on holiday at the time and had no idea the nest existed.

Mr Goodall said he sent them a picture and they were amazed.

But he added their main concern was ensuring that the holes where the wasps had entered were filled in.

'Normally I will try to get a stick to knock off the nest and take it further down the garden. The wasps don't bother me at all,' Mr Goodall said.

'I think with this one though we would have had to get someone in to kill them.'

Despite its size, he said the nest only weighed around 2lbs and felt lighter than a bag of sugar.

He spent around five minutes cutting it down with the assistance of electrician Brett Hewitt.

Mr Goodall, who said he does not like killing the insects, said: 'I once took one down around 20 years ago to show children at a school, but it broke in half. So I was more careful with this time.'

He said he gave the huge nest to his friend, whose wife took it to a nearby school to show to the children.

Mr Goodall's, son, Tyrone, 27, who works for his dad, said: 'He [dad] loves wildlife and that sort of stuff, that's why he cut it out. Some people would probably have just smashed it.'

Have you made an unusual discovery? Email luke.powell@archant.co.uk or call 01603 772684