A woman renovating her first home in Woking has uncovered original Victorian floor tiles hidden beneath a vinyl covering. Justine Walmsley, 33, was stripping the kitchen of her flat when she noticed patterned tiles peeking through the rubble.
The flat is one of five apartments converted from a large Victorian house in 1986. Walmsley described the vinyl floor as 'tired and old', uneven and peeling in places. She and friends began chipping away at the covering to reveal the red, beige and brown patterned tiles.
'We were all so excited and felt like members of Time Team,' she said. The discovery prompted her to abandon plans for a modern all-white kitchen. Instead, she is redecorating the entire flat with colours in keeping with a Victorian theme.
Walmsley had originally intended to create a contemporary look but changed course after finding the hidden treasure. 'When you find a hidden treasure, you'd be mad to cover it up,' she remarked.
