LAST week’s Craven Curosity, pictured below, foxed everyone - and it still foxed everyone in the Herald office even after they’d been told was it actually is!

Regular Herald contributor Allan Friswell, of Cowling, considered that it might be “a bird scarer.”

And nobody came closer to getting the function of the object, another from the collection of The Museum of North Craven Life, at The Folly in Settle.

The museum’s honorary curator Anne Read explains: “This is an extremely exotic item to find in our collection and its purpose has been revealed thanks to the sleuthing abilities of Mel Cookson-Carter, our Heritage Development Officer.

“Those people who have ever tried to open a coconut and extract the flesh without making a dreadful mess will understand the ingenuity of these gadgets.

“Widely used in Africa and India, they are made from a single piece of wood which can be opened out to form a seat. One end carries a serrated blade which, once the coconut has been split open with the back of an axe or other blunt instrument, can be used to separate the flesh from the protective inner coating.

“But what is it doing in our collection and how did it get here?

“One theory is that it was brought home by a World War II soldier who served in North Africa, or it may have been donated as an object for a fundraising auction we held back in the 1980s. Once again we’d be delighted to hear from any Craven Herald readers who have more information.”

This week’s Craven Curiosity, above, is again from the collection of the museum. And it is a genuine ‘mystery object’ as no one there has any idea what it is either, so there is no right or wrong answer.

All ideas and theories gratefully received - please send your suggestions, by 8am on Monday, to: news@cravenherald.co.uk