Young detectives find key to success

Dane Fitch, Dylan Mason and Harry Ives, all in Year Six at St Thomas’ CE Primary in St Annes went the extra mile when they made the discovery in Ashton Gardens.

And the owner of the lost keys was so impressed with her primary school saviours she wrote a special letter to the school.

Dane, Dylan and Harry were determined to reunite the keys with their owner, worrying what might have happened had older youths made the discovery.

Dane’s mum Jo Gillard was very proud of her 11-year-old.

She said: “The boys found some car keys in the park and decided to pick them up because they were worried what might happen if teenagers got hold of them.
“Their first thought was to try to take them to the police station but that was closed.

“When they couldn’t hand them in to the police the boys didn’t give up.

“They figured the keys belonged to someone who had parked near Ashton Gardens.”

What the boys did next was an ingenious solution to a tricky problem.

“They walked down the road,” said Jo. “Pressing the button on the keys.

“Eventually they found one that opened and it was parked outside Gerrards.

“They knocked on the door. It’s amazing they were able to get the keys back to their owner.”

And the owner of the keys Elizabeth Coles, a partner at Gerrards, was particularly impressed.

She recognised which school the trio attended from their uniforms and was soon in touch with a heartwarming letter.

She wrote: “What a marvellous example three young boys from your school set.

“I was walking my dog in Ashton Gardens and left my car keys unknowingly on the park.

“I searched for over an hour and had no idea where they were.

“Three pupils knocked on the front door of Gerrards Auction Rooms waving a set of keys.

“It was so refreshing to find three boys so polite, industrious and respectful.

“What a remarkable example they have set for your school.”

The boys’ good deed hasn’t gone unnoticed by the teachers at the St Thomas’ Road school.

Claire Gilmour, Co-Headteacher, said: “We were very pleased to hear about the good deed that Harry, Dylan and Dane carried out in our community in helping a neighbour of our school.

“We know that these three boys and all our children strive to be good citizens at school and are extremely proud to know that they succeeded in being helpful, honest and carried out some good detective work into our community too.

“Well done boys.”