Burscough pub landlord Des Feely rewards Damien Dunn for finding hidden stone

Jun 4 2009 by Michael Byrne, Ormskirk Advertiser

THE drinks were on pub landlord Des Freely in March 1983, his treat for young Damien Dunn's detective work.

When the youngster handed in a large stone over the bar of the Red Lion in Burscough, Des promptly honoured a pledge he had painted on the stone, before hiding it in the Lake District.

On it was written: “If you find this stone, then claim your free pint in the Red Lion, Burscough”.

Des hid the stone in a wall near a stream in the Lake District. The wall crumbled and the stone fell in the stream.

Over a year later Damien was doing some dam building in the Haweswater Valley when Des’s stone turned up in his hand. Damien wrote to Des saying he was too young to claim a free pint of beer, but would love a drink of lemonade.

When Damien travelled to Burscough from his Bebington home he was given a free Coca-Cola, two engraved glasses and a £10 reward!

Des said: “When the stone came back you could have knocked me down with a feather!”

Damien said after the presentation: “I am overwhelmed. It’s lovely!”

Asked what he was going to do with the money, Damien took a sip of his pint and pronounced: “I am going to put it in my building society account.”