THE mystery of a gravestone which was found in a field earlier this year in Goodworth Clatford has been resolved - thanks to the Andover Advertiser.

The stone bore the name of John Kitchener Dance, who was born in 1916.

A dog walker, assuming it been stolen from a graveyard and dumped in the field, took it into Andover police station.

The Andover Advertiser carried a story about the gravestone but it rema-ined a mystery until this week when Mr Dance's wid-ow turned up.

It transpires that Mr Dance was born and bred on Cowdown farm in Goodworth Clatford.

He was one of six children.

He moved to Queensland in Australia in 1980 after retiring with his wife, Valerie.

It was his dying wish to have his ashes scattered over Cowdown Farm after his death and a memorial stone placed somewhere on the farmland.

He died in Australia in 2002 at the age of 86 and his wishes were carried out by a nephew.

His wife still lives in Queensland.

The original Andover Advertiser story was read by a distant relative of the deceased in Stockbridge, who notified his widow.

This week the headstone was collected by her from Andover police station while she was in the country on holiday.

The stone will be taken to the Goodworth Clatford village church by her and placed on the gravestone of her husband's parents.