Volunteers at Oldham’s town centre Oxfam shop recently received a mysterious box containing a vital piece of kit used during the Second World War.

Taking note of the instruction to “handle with great care”, the Yorkshire Street store volunteers lifted the lid not knowing what they would find.

Inside was a compass which on further investigation turned out to be a Second World War Type P8M Compass.

The compass was in common use from around 1937 and was used in Spitfire, Hurricane and Tiger Moth planes.

Manager Nic Oakes urges everyone to look around and see what no longer used items might be hiding in a corner of the house that could be passed on to Oxfam for sale in the shop. She does not expect any more Spitfire Compasses but says “You never know what might turn up.”

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