A film director has said he is looking to remortgage his home to fund a film based on an internet advert of a Brighton practical joker.

Hollywood director Kevin Smith has revealed that Dodgeball star Justin Long has been lined-up as the unfortunate tenant forced to dress up as a walrus in his new film Tusk.

The film is inspired by an advert posted on Gumtree by Brighton-based poet Chris Parkinson. It offered free rent for any tenant willing to dress up as a walrus for two hours a day.

Mr Smith wrote the script in 20 days but funding delays have dashed his hopes of showing the $3 million film at the Sundance Film Festival 2014 in January.

Did this story make you chuckle? Here are some more recent quirkies to tickle your fancy: