THE family of an artist who designed Bolton Wanderers' famous crest has been reunited with a piece of his work more than 25 years after his death.

Maria George launched an appeal in the Bolton Evening News to trace work by her father Frank Bowles, as he never managed to complete any artwork for his family before his death.

She is now the proud owner of one of her father's detailed sketches after she was contacted by a Bolton man who had acquired it.

The picture, completed in 1976, depicts regulars at the Hare and Hounds pub, on Bury Road, Bolton, where it was displayed on the wall for a number of years.

Surprisingly, 43-year-old Mrs George vividly remembers the sketch being drawn as a child - because she was sitting next to her father as he worked.

She recalls laughing at comments her father had written next to each caricature.

Mr Bowles, who was an illustrator and cartoonist for the Bolton Evening News, created the famous round blue crest for the Super Whites, featuring the letters BWFC in the shape of a football.

After Mr Bowles' death in 1977, Mrs George had given up hope of finding any of her father's art, much of which was commissioned for customers in Bolton.

But she was contacted by Andy Porter, of Breightmet, who had the caricature sketch at his home after it was given to him by a friend.

He gave it to Mrs George free of charge, telling her that it was only right that the picture was returned to its rightful owners.

Mr Porter, who was a regular at the pub in the late 1970s, is featured on the picture.

Mrs George, who now lives in Huddersfield, said: "I'm absolutely delighted. It is so wonderful that we now have a part of my father's work to remember him by.

"It's a real delight. The best part of all was I remembered sitting by his side as he drew it - laughing and giggling about the comments he had written beside each and every name."

The piece is signed by Mr Bowles, with a caricature of himself, stating: "Frank Bowles - thinkin' about Veronica!," who is Mrs George's mother.

Mrs George said: "I couldn't possibly tell you how delighted my mother was to read it."

Mrs George says her son, Christopher, aged 13, who had never met his grandfather, is delighted to finally see his artwork.