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Eileen Addis’s precious picture returned thanks to Facebook and Beacon bingo hall

A photograph of a soldier from the Second World War has been reunited with its owner after a social media campaign.

Eileen Addis brought the picture of her husband with her to play bingo in Margate as a good luck charm.

However, the 96-year-old left the photo at Beacon Bingo hall, where it was handed in to staff.

Graeme Corner reuniting Eileen Addis with her lost photograph
Graeme Corner reuniting Eileen Addis with her lost photograph

Manager Graeme Corner launched a Facebook campaign to try to return the item to its owner.

Mrs Addis said: “This photograph is not only very sentimental but my good luck charm, and I take it everywhere with me.

“I am so grateful for the effort Graeme and his team went to to reunite me with it.”

After the post received more than 13,000 views, a man from Folkestone messaged Mr
Corner and told him the soldier in the picture was his stepfather, who was killed in Burma.

The pair then worked out who it belonged to and Mr Corner managed to reprint the damaged picture, frame it and present it to Mrs Addis during her next visit to the bingo hall.

Eileen's second husband, who died in Burma during WWII
Eileen's second husband, who died in Burma during WWII

He said: “I knew the picture would be very precious to someone and had my heart set on finding the owner.

“I didn’t expect the campaign to reach so many people and it’s thanks to the power of social media I was able to reunite Mrs Addis with the picture.

“It was slightly damaged so we reprinted the picture without creases and blemishes, and it was with great excitement that I presented her the original and newly framed copy.”

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