Enid Blyton signature found in bible after being picked up at Yorkshire charity shop

Mark Witherington, of Pickering Antiquities at Ryedale Retro, occasionally takes unusual items from local charity shops to sell and raise money for them.

Mark said: "If [ charity shops] have got bits and pieces that are a bit quirky they bring them in."

Recently he received such an item from a shop in Pickering, a 1953 Queen's Coronation bible.

Upon opening the cover he found an inscription from Enid Blyton, famed children's author of The Famous Five books.

The inscription reads: 'To Judith Hadley. Here is the greatest book in the world. I hope you will read it every day. Love from your friend Enid Blyton.'

Mark did some online research and found another bible with the same inscription was found in a bookshop in Ipswich in 2019.

"I presume she had a few to give out as presents," he added.

The bible is currently on display in the shop in a glass case and is for sale for £325.

"Whatever money it fetches is for the charity," said Mark, "As a business if we can help with anything like this we're more than happy to do so. [The bible] has has a lot of attention, it's in good condition.

"That's the beauty of collectables and antiques, you never know what's going to turn up, it's always worth checking."

The bible can be viewed at the Pickering store on Burgate, which is open daily from 10am to 5pm.