Dead rats turned to pencil cases by a Plymouth student

Indeed we are in a world and age where creativity takes people to the limelight and make them relevant despite the various challenges facing mankind.

Here is a butcher who became a student, and self-fund his university degree by selling pencil cases he makes from dead animals.

The 22-year-old Jack Devaney created the holders which uses the body of dead rats, mice, moles, squirrels, and rabbit as well.

The finished pencil cases, a rather novel form of taxidermy, have generated enough interest that they sell as far away as Norway and the United States.

Aside the global recognition, however, Mr Delay acknowledges some regard him as a bit of a "nut job".

Mr Devaney, a 3D design student at Plymouth University, made his first post of one of his designs that was made from the dead rat last week on image sharing imgur, which has since attracted over 500,000.

Having worked part-time as a butcher for years, Mr Devaney turned his hand to "making daft stuff" after seeing a funny picture of some bad taxidermy online.

So far his pet projects have sold in places as far-flung as the US and Norway.

Mr Devaney explained: "I'd worked part-time as a butcher for nine years so I've been sort of desensitized to the process.

"It also meant that I knew how to pluck, skin and dress different animals."

He added: "I used to have a snake when I was younger and I knew that you could buy frozen mice, rats and chicks from different pet stores.

"I get them from pest control and estate managers, I basically posted on Facebook asking for help and I had people getting back to me within 10 minutes.

"My last order cost about £25 for four moles and three squirrels."

Despite early success, Mr Devaney is not confident the project is viable in the long term.

"You'd have to be a nutter to think you could make a living out of this," he said.

"Some people have suggested my work is satirical or that they have a deeper meaning but they are just daft."

He said: "There's been a varied response. The average posts range from 'This guy is a nut job' to 'Where can I get one', but I'm always polite when I'm responding."