A Workington man has been honoured in a Scottish Borders town after he returned a long lost bowling trophy to its club 139 years after it was last presented.

Motor mechanic Robert Blair, a self-confessed hoarder, came across the Commercial Travellers Cup while treasure hunting at Ropers Scrap Yard 25 years ago.

Mr Blair added the find to his extensive collection but while recuperating from illness last year was persuaded by his long suffering partner Maureen Olvanhill to enrol on a computer course so that he could research some of his items.

He said: "It was really more for something to do but the more I learned the more addictive it became."

Mr Blair then made a phone call to Selkirk Bowling Club which was answered by Hazel Scott who immediately set off on the quest of trying to find out more information about the trophy, the man who had won it, and how it had ended up in a skip in Workington.

Mrs Scott discovered that cup had been gifted to the club in 1873 by a group of men who regularly visited the area looking for business.

The group stated that the solid silver trophy was to be presented to the winner of a single hand competition and that it would become the property of any person to take the honours three times. This was the first cup ever to be presented at the club.

Club president and draper Peter Lidderdale took possession of the award after winning the tournament in 1875, 1876 and 1877.

Mr Lidderdale died in 1918. It is believed that the cup passed onto his brother James, who then moved to Workington.

A large gathering of bowlers turned out when Mr Blair returned the cup to its original home and handed it over to current club president Tommy Riley.

In return, he was presented with an engraved decanter and a plaque.

He said: "It was quite emotional. I felt it was only right that it be returned.

"It has been a remarkable journey of discovery for all involved and I am truly honoured to have been part of that."