Thaindian News

London, Mar 19 (ANI): Construction engineers in Britain were left stunned when they saw an image of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus in a sandpit through Google Earth.

Contractors Steve Hirst and Carl Richards were researching for a project they were working on and decided to look at a half-acre sand and mud site on Google Maps.

While looking at the photo they say the image of a hooded figure holding a baby was clearly distinguishable - just off the M6 motorway near Preston.

“We both looked at each other for a few seconds without saying anything. It is an amazing image of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms,” the Daily Mail quoted Richards, 42, from Bolton, as saying.

“It is so clear. We were looking at the layout of the area for some work we are doing and we were zooming in and it caught our eye. We were stunned into silence and Steve joked he had seen the light,” he revealed.

The image taken is of an area in Samlesbury, Lancs, where a 10 million pounds Brockholes Wetland and Woodland Nature Reserve is currently being built.

But bosses are unimpressed by the findings and say the photo was taken years ago.

“The machinery in the picture would suggest it was taken a few years ago and there are trees planted on it now,” project manager Ian Selby said.

“We have more important things going on such as a 10 million pounds development opening at Easter. The area has changed dramatically and you can no longer see the image,” he stated.

Religious leaders have described the image as “remarkable”.

“The pictures are remarkable in the shape that they suggest but are several years old now and the ground cover has grown significantly so I don’t think we can attach any weight to this image at all,” Christopher Armstrong, the dean of Blackburn Cathedral, said.

The Rev Sue Williams, of St Leonard’s Cof E Church in Samlesbury, which is close to the site, recalled a visit to an ancient monastery in Greece when she saw an image of Jesus in the plaster.

“It is an anomaly and with these type of things we usually see what we want to see and I won’t be encouraging people to make pilgrimages to Brockholes,” she said.

“It is a lovely image but it is based on a religious and cultural context because people of other faiths may see something totally different,” she added.

Richards and Hirst work for separate contractors on behalf of the Highways Agency, at the site near the M6 motorway.

“It might be years old but it is still a great photo,” Richards added. (ANI)