A plea to find speed ace Donald Campbell’s lost St Christopher medal

For all those years a St Christopher’s medal belonging to Mr Campbell had lain underneath the water after his Bluebird K7 crashed, killing him instantly.

So his family were overjoyed when the good-luck charm was discovered - but now his daughter has been left devastated after it was lost once again.

Gina Campbell, 62, of Thorner, Leeds, is offering a reward after losing her father’s valued medal.

Mr Campbell was 46 when he attempted to break his own 276mph water speed record at Coniston Water in 1967, in the Lake District, reaching over 300mph when his boat flipped and crashed into the water.

The wreck was recovered in March 2001 by a team led by millionaire Bill Smith, who found a St Christopher’s medal which was engraved “To Donald from Daddy, November 1941.”

It was given to Mr Campbell’s daughter, who occasionally wore the medal as a good luck charm, but she lost it following a golf match - and is offering a reward from the family collection to anyone who returns it.

She said: “I am just absolutely devastated. This has just got to be found. It was my father’s most treasured possession and it’s mine too.

“We’re a family of great sentimentalists and I’m just so annoyed with myself for losing it.”

Ms Campbell explained: “I had a golf match on the morning of July 4 and I was hoping to do well so I thought I should take my father with me.

“I often wear it as a good-luck charm. My father did the same.”

The charm, given by Mr Campbell’s father, Sir Malcolm Campbell, is attached to a 24-inch beige cord made of either tough fishing line or a very fine military cord, put on by Mr Campbell so he could easily place it over his neck.

Ms Campbell said: “I remember my father putting it onto the cord. The old one was getting dirty or worn, so my father was putting a new one on, that must have been in about 1966.

“I attached it to my left bra strap as I always do, as I thought it was safe in there.

“I went to play golf - winning my match - and was having a coffee with my opponent afterwards, when I mentioned the charm. I took it out to show her, so I know I still had it with me after the game.

“After the coffee, I went straight to my car, put the clubs in the boot and left. But when I got home and started getting changed, I realised the charm was gone.”

Ms Campbell, who plays at Moor Allerton golf club, in Leeds, three times a week, searched her house and car from top to bottom - even calling the police who used a metal detector - but to no avail.

She hopes that the charm’s distinctive engraving and cord will help her recover it.

“When Bill was going down to the wreckage in 2001 he said to me ‘is there anything I should specifically look for?’ and I told him about the cord,” she recalled.

“When he brought it back to me he told me the cord was the first thing he saw.

“I’ve tried to work out whether the date on the engraving is any special date but as far as I can work out, it was at the very dark hours of the war. From letters I’ve read written by my grandfather, those were very dark days, and he was working in the War office.

“It’s not just that it’s an object that reminds me of my father, it’s the fact that lay under water for all those years and then it was recovered and returned to me and now I’ve gone and lost it.”

Speaking of her late father, Ms Campbell added: “I remember him very fondly of course. Many people in my generation tell me he was their boyhood hero.

“If anyone has found the St Christopher, please return it. It means so much to me.

“I’m convinced I must have lost it somewhere at the golf club. It was a horrible rainy day, perhaps someone has picked it up in the car park and thought they’ll return it next time they’re there.

“I don’t normally lose things - I’m usually organised, so precise. I can only blame myself.

“It’s about the size of a two pence piece, and it has a lovely shape - it’s beautifully made.

“The only fortunate thing is that I’ve just had a picture taken of it because I was including it in a book I’m writing called ‘Daughter of Bluebird.’

“If anyone has found it and can return it I would be so grateful, and I’ll reward them with something from the family collection.”