Library book returned more than 47 years late

A book has been returned to Orkney Library more than 47 years late.

Canoe Building in Glass-Reinforced Plastic by Alan Byde was due to be returned in March 1977.

It was finally handed back in earlier this week, after being found during a house clearance.

The library's John Peterson said: "Fortunately we don't charge overdue fines".

He added: "But even if we did we don't know who to charge because it's so long ago that we don't know who originally borrowed it.

"It was just returned by someone who found it when clearing out a house."

The latest overdue book beats two recent long-term returns.

A book that came back to the library in 2022 which was 46 years out on loan and another book was returned 43 years late in 2017.