In the summer of 2023, an unidentified middle-aged man walked into a charity shop in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, and donated a portrait of a stern-faced child wearing a red dress. Within weeks, this ordinary donation transformed into an international viral sensation.
Buyers returned the artwork multiple times, claiming it caused severe health issues and frightening encounters. Today, the painting sits in a London horror attraction, where staff continue to report unexplained events, and an independent film crew is turning the bizarre true story into a feature film.
A Charity Shop Donation Turned Viral Sensation
The painting was initially priced at £25 at the Hastings Advice Representation Centre charity shop. A woman purchased the piece but returned it just two days later.
She explicitly declined a refund and told the shop manager that the artwork had a deeply unsettling aura and seemed to follow her around her home. The manager placed the painting back in the front window display alongside a handwritten warning note stating it was possibly cursed.
The Second Buyer and Unexplained Encounters
Zoe Elliott-Brown purchased the portrait next at a discounted price of £20. She stated her mother became inexplicably transfixed by the image. After bringing the artwork home, Zoe reported that her mother suffered from sudden hot flushes and severe shaking. Zoe also experienced strange events herself, stating that a shadowy black figure chased her while she was walking outside.
Fearing for her family, she returned the painting to the charity shop. The manager then updated the display note to read that the artwork had been sold twice and returned twice, asking customers if they were brave enough to buy it. A photograph of this specific display went viral across multiple social media platforms.
Relocation to The London Bridge Experience
Capitalizing on the viral fame, the painting was auctioned online and ultimately purchased by the London Bridge Experience for £1,680. The attraction’s manager, James Kislingbury, personally transported the artwork approximately 65 miles or 105 kilometers to London.
Upon its arrival, staff immediately reported a series of unfortunate events. These incidents included a completely broken-down vehicle, failed internet connections, and strange pools of water appearing directly beneath the canvas. One staff member even dislocated a shoulder on a water slide shortly after the transaction.
Ongoing Hauntings and a Feature Film
The unusual activity has continued at the London Bridge Experience. Kislingbury reported seeing unexplained dancing shadows surround him while he made a phone call in an empty stairwell. Employees have frequently reported hearing phantom footsteps and feeling unseen hands grab their shoulders.
Staff members also claim to see the shadow of a child playing hide-and-seek, which vanishes completely when followed. The true story has now inspired an independent feature film titled Curse in a Frame. Filming took place in Hastings between mid-February and mid-March 2026. The movie centers on a mockumentary about the exact history of the portrait.