Whatever horrors you commit in the spare bedroom this Bank Holiday, your disastrous attempts at DIY can never match the magnitude of an elderly Spanish woman attempting a DIY restoration of a 1930s fresco in the church of Santuario de Misericodia, in the village of Borja, Spain.

So what went so wrong? And is this really such a disaster?

The 'restoration

The fresco in question is Ecce Homo by Elias Garcia Martinez, which has been on the walls of the church for almost 100 years. Over the last year and a half, water has seeped into the walls of the church, and paint had begun flaking off it. Upset by the state of the mural, a local pensioner decided to try to rescue it herself.

The DIY bodge was discovered after the original painter's daughter made a donation to pay for professional restoration - and the experts discovered that the amateur had got there first. Up until that point, her 'restoration' had escaped the notice of the locals.

The results of her efforts are astonishing. The complete disappearance of the crown of thorns - along with any real detail and the lower half of the face are perhaps the most striking changes.

Art historians are planning to meet at the church next week to see what can be done. The Centro de Estudios Borjanos, a local organisation responsible for heritage preservation in the area, is investigating how it could happen, and according to the Telegraph, relatives of the artist are considering legal action. The work in question is not thought to be particularly valuable, but has sentimental value for the town.

Missed opportunity

However, there are those who would argue that the town is missing a trick. The tourist potential of the famous DIY fresco is immense. While the original was unlikely to be featured on any tourist memorabilia, the potential for everything from t-shirts to egg cups shouldn't be overlooked

Likewise, there will be those who argue that the cultural bodies that allowed the fresco to deteriorate are perhaps more culpable than an elderly woman who was so upset by the state of the church that she opted to do something proactive about it.

But what do you think? Let us know in the comments.