A lost book which went missing from Dudley Library has been handed into the wrong library – on the other side of the world.

The book - The Wildest Province SOE In the Land of the Eagle – was borrowed in 2009 but was never returned.

Eight years later, in April this year, stunned staff at Dudley libraries were contacted by librarians from Boone County Public Library in Burlington, Kentucky, in America, to say the book had been handed in there.

Librarians are baffled at how the book, written by Roderick Bailey, managed to be handed into the library almost 4,000 miles away. Jen Beardsmore, head of libraries and archives at Dudley Council, said:

“We always make efforts to get any outstanding books back but to be honest after eight years we’d written this off. You can imagine our surprise when out of the blue we had an email from the librarians in Kentucky saying it had been handed in there.

“We’ve told them they can keep the book but it’s been a nice interaction with like-mind book lovers on the other side the world!”

Libraries have a vast array of books, music and other learning and entertainment facilities at venues across the borough.

For more information visit dudley.gov.uk and search for libraries.