A HEARTFELT appeal has gone out to reunite a family heirloom with its rightful owners.

An ornate silver fruit/bon-bon basket, complete with inscription, was recently donated to a charity shop in Horsham, west Sussex.

The inscription reads: "Presented to Mr and Mrs W Kinnersley on the occasion of their marriage April 20th 1929 by the vicar and choir of St Mary's Church Wythall as a token of esteem and affection"

Now Katy Counsell, who volunteers at the shop, has made it her mission to try to track down the family of Mr and Mrs W Kinnersley so they can have the bowl.

She said: "I have contacted the church to no avail. I would love to return this to a family member as I am sure that there must be a relative out there (however distant) that would be grateful for this to remain in the family."

She added: "Because it is inscribed, it was never going to sell and would achieve very little as scrap.

"We often get items given to us that are family orientated and I am always dismayed that these have been discarded and donated. Most of which we cannot sell because they are only relevant to specific families, quite often with no inscription at all.

"However, I am determined to reunite this basket with someone who may well want it to remain within the family."

Do you have any information about the basket or know the family?

Get in touch by emailing ben.russell@midlands.newsquest.co.uk.