A SCHOOL book more than 160 years old has been discovered — and the finder is hoping to track down relatives of the owner.

Alec Bromley, owner of Alec's Three Piece Suites in Great Lever, first found the workbook 35 years ago when he was moving furniture and he recently rediscovered it in a safe he had stored it in at the time.

The mensuration book belonged to a pupil called Daniel Hurst who could possibly have been from a street called Stand Lane, which is written on the front of the book.

A note in the book said it was completed by Daniel in March 1857 and could have been the property of Park Lane School.

Mr Bromley, who lives in Chorley Old Road in the Johnson Fold area, said: "I picked it up about 35 years ago when I was collecting furniture.

"I kept it and thought it was quite amazing. So I put it in the safe and thought we might be able to find any relatives of the person who wrote in it.

"I am not sure where Park Lane School would have been but I think it would either be in the Bolton or Prestwich areas."

Included in the book is a variety of geometry problems and information on the writer's family members.

Mr Bromley, aged 68, said he could not remember where exactly he found it.

He added: "I just wanted to keep it but I do not know who it belongs to. So maybe somebody might have an idea or know someone related."

Steven Hartshorne, Information and Enquiry Officer for Bolton Library and Museum Services, said: "This is a maths workbook, in which pupils would copy out problems and then complete the exercises.

"It is written in copper plate writing, which everybody did then.

"It's quite advanced book in which he is doing practical geometry. The book is in good condition — it is a notebook which were not made to last."

Mr Hartshorne's quick "Who Do You Think You Are" research using the 1861 census revealed that by the age of 15, Daniel Hurst could have been a pupil teacher at the age of 15.

"He was very clever, he would have been teaching young pupils, " said Mr Hartshorne,who added that a Daniel Hurst went on to be a exercise officer in Birmingham and became a father to four children.

With more time, Mr Hartshorne said more could be found out about Daniel using records.

He said records like this provided a physical link with the past.

Mr Hartshorne said: "The joy at looking at books like this is that you are touching a book that someone else has used. In our special collections we have a ready reckoning book, which tradesmen used to do calculations. It is battered and falling apart but it is a physical connection.to that trade."

Anyone who has any information should call Mr Bromley by dropping into his store in Lever Street, calling 01204 387987.