A timely intervention

Mrs Walsh – originally from East Kilbride, now living with family in Clarkston – wrote a letter to The Extra last month, providing contact details for anyone who spotted the lost item.

She had misplaced the Bercott watch – a gold coloured face with black italic numbers and a tan leather strap – somewhere in Clarkston between September 14 and 16.

The letter contained an appealed to readers, in which she wrote: “Being a pensioner, I would find it difficult to replace because of sentimental value”.

This week, Dorothy explained the story behind the keepsake.

She told The Extra: “I bought the watch 21 years ago, for my daughter’s 21st birthday. I had stopped smoking to buy it, and she was so proud of me that she told me to keep it.

“It was a beautiful watch, and cost me £150, which was a lot of money at the time – and it was probably worth treble nowadays.

“I was so proud of it – the story behind it, and the effort I had to put in to get it. I really missed it when I realised it was gone”.

Fortunately for Dorothy, the watch was made by a local jeweller – Sydney Bercott – who contacted the paper to ask for her details.

Mr Bercott, now retired, offered to replace the watch free of charge, and set about having a new model made up.

Dorothy explained: “Mr Bercott said his sister-in-law had spotted my letter in The Extra, and he phoned to say he’d get something fixed for me.

“He delivered it by hand, right to my door, despite being retired and out of the business now”.

The kind-hearted jeweller declined having his picture in the paper — but Dorothy added a thank you to her surprise benefactor, commenting: “I’m delighted with it, and can’t thank him enough for the help”.

n Do you have a story with a happy ending? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].