Family reunited with daughter's 55-year-old book

A second-hand book inscribed by a girl who died in 1975 has been returned to her family more than 50 years after it was originally owned.

Nicola Lomax, from Ramsbottom in Lancashire, found the book in a charity shop in Keswick, Cumbria, while on holiday in the Lake District.

The book, The House of the Pelican by Elisabeth Kyle, contained an inscription dated 1971 with the name Donna Priday and a reference to a school in Devon.

Curious about the book's journey from Devon to Cumbria, Lomax posted a message on a Facebook page in Ivybridge seeking information about the name inside.

She was contacted by a friend of the family who explained that Donna Priday had died young but her father, Mike Priday, still lived locally in Devon.

Lomax then sent the book back to the family.

Mike Priday, aged 89, expressed gratitude for the return of the book, saying it would bring back memories of his daughter Donna, who died of leukaemia at age 14 in 1975.

He described Donna as a child who enjoyed books and said the loss of a child is unforgettable.

Lomax said returning the book was an emotional experience and that she had bought another copy to read herself.

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