A CHOIR member is overjoyed after precious sheet music, stolen from her car was returned.

Mavis Postlethwaite, a member of the Lyndale Singers, was devastated when a case containing a substantial part of her life-long music collection went missing before Christmas.

She was convinced the silver container which held the music was mistaken by the thief for a laptop case.

But thanks to a letter published in the Star, reader David Helsby, who had stumbled on the items, was able to return them to the chorister.

Mrs Postlethwaite, from Chain Lane in Blackbrook, said: “They were missing for nearly three weeks.

“As well as the sheet music, they stole a music stand and a Lyndale Singers banner.

“I knew the music wouldn’t have any value to anyone else and thought it would have been thrown away once they discovered nothing valuable was in it.”

The 74-year-old, a founder member of the choir, added: “A man who lives locally found the music stand near his garage and took it home to clean it up.

“When he read the letter in the Star he went back out to look for the music case, thinking the two things may have been discarded in the same place.”

The man managed to retrieve the case and while it and some of the sheet music had suffered rain damage, he tracked down the pensioner who was thrilled to have her possessions back.

“I was delighted when I saw a man walking along with my things. Some of the sheet music is beyond repair, but I’ve salvaged some by drying it on a radiator and with my hair dryer,” said Mrs Postlethwaite.

“The music has sentimental value for me. I’ve been singing since I was seven, first with St Helens Girls’ Choir and then some of us formed The Lyndale Singers.

“We’ve been singing as a group now for 43 years and we do lots of concerts for weddings, churches and special events.

“We do different kinds of music, from Simon and Garfunkel, to Strauss and religious song and we’ve performed in Germany several times.

“All the music in my case covers these years and holds special memories for me.”

Mrs Postlethwaite, a former council worker added: “I want to thank the gentleman who found the music. I am so happy to have it back.”