APRIL Fools’ Day came to West Somerset yesterday, with fake news that tested the credibility of local social media followers faced with the discovery of 500-year-old cheese in Wootton Courtenay and a clockwork yacht in Watchet marina.

The Wootton Courtenay village website hailed an “historic discovery” made during investigations into a site for a new postbox – the previous one was removed by the Royal Mail last year.

Apparently, excavations for the postbox revealed a network of catacombs, with an access point near the church.

“An initial foray into the subterranean labyrinth unearthed an unconventional kind of treasure – small truckles of Cheddar cheese.

“Local cheese expert and amateur historian David Stow, who was consulted on the find, has estimated that the cheese originates from the 1500s and may have been stored there by monks who were forced to leave the village during the Reformation.

“Furthermore, when one of the surveyors plucked up the courage to taste a piece of the ancient cheese, he found it went well with a pickled onion and a glass of Shiraz.”

Only when website visitors clicked on to view further surveyors’ findings were they faced with a large APRIL FOOL logo.

Pictures online of a small yacht with a large key sticking out of the cabin-top fuelled a fast-spreading rumour that Watchet marina had its first clockwork boat.

A boat-owner in on the prank said: “It was literally a wind-up and we knew the owner would take it in good part. A retired engineer made the very realistic key and took the pictures when no-one was about.

“Who knows? With the price of fuel and marina fees, clockwork boats might become a reality one day!”