A BURNLEY grandmother has spoken of her delight after she was reunited with her grandfather’s stolen war medals – thanks to a Lancashire Telegraph appeal.

Jean Sanderson was left heartbroken after she noticed the medals, earned by Pte Thomas Henry Lord in the First World War, had been taken from her home in Roland Street, Rosegrove.

But now the 65-year-old is all smiles after a collector recognised the medals from the story and handed them over to police.

Mrs Sanderson, who got the medals back on Tuesday night, said: “More or less from the moment I realised they were gone, I never thought I’d see them again.

“I knew they didn’t have much value but they are pretty much all I have belonging to my grandfather. I never met him and these were to be passed on to my grandchildren.

“When the police rang to say they’d been handed in, I was over the moon. It was superb. My whole family is chuffed. I’m just so pleased.” Pte Lord earned the medals - the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal - for his service with the Royal Army Medical Corps in Alexandria, Egypt.

He died in Sabden in the 1940s and passed the medals on to his daughter, Ursula Lord, who in turn gave them to her niece, Mrs Sanderson, four years ago.

Mrs Sanderson said: “I can’t thank them enough, the person who bought the medals. It just shows you the power of the newspaper appeal.

“I need to give them a good polish and they’ll be stored somewhere safer from now on. My grandson Rob is especially happy as he’s really into his military history.”

A flute belonging to Mrs Sanderson’s 36-year-old daughter Jennifer, which was also stolen, has not been recovered.

l A 48-year-old man from Rosegrove has appeared at Burnley Magistrates’ Court charged with burglary and theft between March 20 and April 20.

Gary Williams, of Griffin Close, was bailed to appear at Burnley Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing in September.