A man has been reunited with his long-lost wallet after THIRTY FIVE YEARS with all its contents – apart from the £15 it contained.
Richard Lane, 58, suspected the wallet was stolen as he played squash at a leisure centre in his hometown of St. Ives, Cambs in 1978.
It contained his driving licence, gym membership card, union membership card and payment plan for a new TV – with the final instalment due of just £1.
Richard, then a 23 year-old printer, also thinks he had around £15 in cash inside it.
He gave up hope of ever seeing it again as he moved across the country to Evesham, Worcs.
But the battered old wallet complete with everything apart from the money has now been found inside a brick wall cavity by builders refurbishing the leisure centre in St. Ives.
Richard Thompson, 26, and Tony Noé, 34, dusted it down and a public appeal was launched to find Richard.
He has now been given his wallet back – together with a brand new membership for the leisure centre.
Richard said: “It’s amazing, absolutely amazing that the wallet’s been found.
“I’ve been contacted by a lot of my friends who still live in the area and my mother to let me know. It’s the only wallet I’ve ever lost.
“I thought that someone had stolen it. It looks like someone has taken about £10 to £15 out of it then chucked it into a lift shaft to hide it.
“I was living at my parents’ home at the time and was free and single, so I spent a lot of time at the centre, playing squash and swimming.”
The wallet was found by the contractors behind a wall on the top floor, near the lift shaft.
Builder Tony said: “All the contractors have been amazed that an item like this can remain undiscovered for so long and especially in perfect condition.”
