When teacher Margaret Thompson lost a camera film containing cherished snaps of a friend's wedding, she sadly accepted she would never see it again.

Mrs Thompson, who teaches religious studies at St Mary's School, in Wantage, dropped the unmarked film while shopping in her home town of Wilmslow, in Cheshire. However, the mother of two was left delighted after mysteriously receiving her processed prints through the post in Wantage.

Incredibly, the film had been picked up by a public-spirited shopper, determined to return it to its rightful owner. She paid to have the film developed, then searched the prints for clues. Fortunately, the film contained a snap of the view from Mrs Thompson's Cheshire home, allowing the finder to find her street, track down her Oxfordshire address from helpful neighbours, and post off the photographs.

Mrs Thompson said: "I was devastated about losing the photos as they were of great sentimental value. I had given them up as lost and didn't think I would find them."

She added: "I am amazed someone took so much trouble."