LONG-LOST wedding photographs found in a Powick loft are set to be returned to their rightful owner, after an appeal went international.

Charles Ellis, who now lives in South Spain near Gibraltar, saw a story about the mystery in your Worcester News and came forward to reclaim the personal snaps.

He previously believed the pictures, which show him as a happy groom on his wedding day in King's Lynn, Norfolk, had been destroyed.

Other items found in a box with the photographs, which included sports trophies, letters and a lock of blond hair belonging to Mr Ellis' daughter, will also be returned.

Nicki Baddeley, who discovered the possessions when exploring the loft of her rented 16th century Powick house, said: "It is just amazing that the news travelled that far.

"I think it is brilliant that the photographs will be reunited with their owner and it is a happy ending to the mystery.

"I was really surprised when I received an email from Charles, especially as he lives in Spain now.

"It shows the power of the internet and that information can spread so quickly."

Mrs Baddeley added that your Worcester News had played "a massive part" in helping solve the Puzzle of Powick.

In his email Mr Ellis, who was alerted to the appeal by a friend in Malvern, expressed "many, many thanks" for the find and continued to explain the tale behind the mystery.

It was his understanding that the personal items had been destroyed by water damage, after firefighters tackled a blaze caused by an unattended candle in the Powick property.

He owned the house but rented it out to tenants and had never been able to check whether the box had survived the dramatic incident.

It would appear therefore that the box had avoided a soaking from the firefighters' hoses and instead someone moved them into the loft where they were forgotten about until Mrs Baddeley's discovery.