A RUBERY mum was shocked to find a hidden message in her shoe cupboard, detailing the cost of a pint and a packet of cigarettes in 2003, after living in the house for 11 years.

Midwife Mandy Cook, 45, discovered the note when she knocked down a false wall in her home in Elm Drive, during work to fix her staircase.

The message read: "Dave, Andy and Dean 2003. 20 fags £4.00, beer £2.30 a pint".

Mandy immediately took a photograph of the note and posted it on Facebook in an attempt to track down the mystery messengers.

She said: "I mean 'time capsule' is a bit of a stretch but at least we know how old the house is now. 2003 isn't that long ago but it's before our daughter was born and it feels like we've had her forever.

"We're led to believe this house or the one behind us was a show home, and the other one selling offices. We know it was built by Persimmon Homes so thought it could be someone working for them that wrote the message. We put it on Facebook wondering if whoever put it in still lives local."

Mandy, who lives in the house with her partner and 12-year-old daughter, plans to leave the board in place to be used a shelf.