A RETIRED mechanical engineer is searching for a lost Bible which was the key to uncovering his family's history.

Kevin Hunt, 79, lived in High Carley near Ulverston from 1975 to 2003 where he ran a weekly Bible study group.

The grandad-of-11 used to own two businesses in Ulverston throughout this time as well as working at the shipyard.

The missing Bible is a Cambridge Edition with a black leather cover and has the inscription ‘Ethna M Hunt’ written on the inside, alongside the Latin message ‘in domino confido’.

It is believed to have been lost sometime between 1995 and 2003.

Mr Hunt said the Bible was the ‘missing link’ which enabled him to uncover his family history.

He said: “It was passed down to me by a godmother who I had never met named Ethna M Hunt.

“For many years I had been attempting to trace my family history and have been unable to find anything.

“Then six years ago, I found a reference to Ethna M Hunt online and was able to trace other family members through that name.

“There’s lots of blanks on my father’s side which I was able to fill in because of this Bible.”

Mr Hunt believes the Bible went missing at a study group around 20 years ago.

“It was mislaid at some point, which wasn’t important at the time but it is now,” he said.

“It’s a part of my family history so it is very important to me.

“I would be so grateful if I could get it back,” he said.

“It’s of great sentimental value to me.”

Anyone with information about the missing bible can contact eleanor.ovens@newsquest.co.uk.