A BOX containing what are believed to be a pet’s ashes has been found near the entrance to a famous stately home.

The ornate box was found in undergrowth by Castle Howard near Malton and has a wooden plaque on the top with the name Max Jaffa.

This was the name of a famous band leader who died in 1991, but police think it relates to a pet called Max Jaffa.

PC Paul Fenwick said: “How the box got to be at the roadside is a mystery. It’s possible it has been discarded following a burglary.”