The creative five-year-old, from Ackworth, spotted the "divine apparition" in dried paint after he finished splashing colour over a white mask at Wakefield Independent School's holiday club on Thursday March 20 – the day before Good Friday.

His shocked mum Wendy, 39, told the Express: "When he showed it to me I said: 'Oh my God'. It's just unbelievable.

"Everyone I've shown it to has been floored. Some people have even had to sit down because of the shock. I think it's even stranger that it's appeared at Easter. We just can't believe it."

Teacher Amanda Parramore, who was in charge at the holiday club on the day, said: "We had been doing a painting activity in the afternoon where the children had been colouring in masks. Most of the other children had used just one colour, but William used different ones and from afar his mask looked really good.

"When his mum arrived to collect him, and he picked up the mask which he had left to dry, he was running about saying: 'Look, look, it's Jesus'. When his mum showed it to me I couldn't believe it. I've never seen anything like it, it's a one in a million thing."

William, also a pupil at Wakefield Independent School, said: "I enjoyed painting the mask with lots of colours. I think it's really good."