Golden Bootleg (Phaeolepiota aurea)
Observation - Golden Bootleg (Phaeolepiota aurea) - UK and Ireland. Description: Bright orange/yellow mushroom, growing amongst nettles under trees in a loose fairy ring. Cap up to 20 cm across. Gills pale orange/brownish. Flesh white. No bruising. Not hygrophanus. Spore print yellow brown. Stem very firm and heavy, enclosed by the ve
Bright orange/yellow mushroom, growing amongst nettles under trees in a loose fairy ring. Cap up to 20 cm across. Gills pale orange/brownish. Flesh white. No bruising. Not hygrophanus. Spore print yellow brown. Stem very firm and heavy, enclosed by the veil. Powdery/soft all over. Cap smooth, stem has soft scales in rows up to the ring, underside of ring and top of stem smooth. Ring firm and persistent. Smell pleasant at first (fresh apricots) but turning unpleasant (especially the gills).
UPDATE 5 Oct: I've added an ID and photos, and updated the description after a second site visit
UPDATE 9 Oct: I met mycologist Patrick Harding at a fungal foray recently and emailed him the link to this page. He confirmed Golden Bootleg saying: "what a great find - amazing colour and a superb fairy ring. I have never seen the species. It is said to occur in disturbed sites - on nitrogenous soils in parks, gardens etc. The 2008 Checklist of the British Basidiomycota has it as rarely reported but widely distributed."
UPDATE 9 Oct: also confirmed by Andy McLay for Wildwatch North Pennines, and a possible first for County Durham