A Cradley man has been instrumental in returning a World War One medal which he bought on eBay to the grandson of its recipient.

David Brenton bought the general service medal which was awarded to Pte 204358 Alfred Laywood for £25 on the site.

The vice chairman of Cradley British Legion decided he wanted to return it to its rightful home - a mission which culminated in him handing the medal to Alfred's grandson Brian Laywood, aged 82, who lives in Desborough, Northamptonshire.

The pair met at Rothwell’s Heritage Centre on Wednesday (November 28).

David, aged 58, of Park Road, Cradley, said he was delighted to return the medal.

He said: "It was such a long shot.

“I was gobsmacked to meet Brian.

“He’s now got a piece of his family history he probably never thought he would see.

"It was so great to be able to return the medal to a living relative."

Brain, who was born just two months before his grandfather's death in a tragic accident, said: “I’m just so happy to receive this and I have to thank David for it.

“I will treasure it.”

David is a Freemason at Lapal Lodge in Halesowen and had been searching for items related to his Queen’s Regiment to auction for charity.

He originally intended to have the medal mounted to take to a Queensman Lodge to auction for charity, but had a change of heart.

With Ponder Street, Rothwell, on the envelope that came with the medal he contacted the town's Heritage Centre.

Valerie Panter from the centre found an old school register that listed Brian and several people got in touch saying they knew Brian after they put a post on Facebook. Soon after David and Brian, an organist at Desborough Baptist Church, were in contact.

Pte Laywood was a bandsman and was born in Rothwell in 1881 to parents Elizabeth and Charles.

He had two brothers, George and Fred, who also served in the First World War.

Alfred joined between 1914 and 1916 and is believed to have served in India.

In 1936 Alfred started working at Kettering’s furnaces. But tragically he was killed in an accident in September that year when a lump of ironstone fell on him.

David's own great uncle George Harding served in WW1 and died in 1917 aged 27, in the second battle of Passchendaele.