A FORMER Hereford schoolboy may have had his conscience pricked after returning a carving he took from a city school more than half a century ago.

The item, which may have been used as a staircase decoration, was snatched from Hereford Cathedral School for "a dare" as long ago as 1955.

Nicknamed The Flame by some school staff, the item had long since been forgotten until last week when it was returned to the Castle Street school anonymously.

Along with it was a letter explaining that the item had been "carefully looked after" and had been unearthed during a recent house move.

The school's headteacher, Paul Smith, said all he knew of the mystery prankster was the sex.

"It must have been a boy as it was a boys-only school then," he said.

"It was quite a surprise to receive it. It just came in the post, bubble-wrapped and addressed to the headmaster."

The item is about 17 centimetres tall, eight centimetres across and weighs about half a bag of sugar.

Mr Smith said the parcel had a Hereford postmark but that is where the trail goes cold.

The accompanying note included an apology, although it is unclear whether the sender was the thief himself who could now be in his mid-70s.

It read: "Dear Sir or Madam. I return this to Hereford Cathedral School. It was taken as a 'dare' about 55 to 60 years ago when the darer was a pupil.

"It is thought that it came from either the top of an upright supporting the main staircase in the Cathedral Junior School (Cathedral Preparatory School then) or from somewhere near the honours boards in the senior school.

"It has been carefully looked after.

"It has come to light recently as the result of a house move. The darer apologises and hopes it can be re-instated."

But Mr Smith said he thinks it is likely the item and accompanying letter will be framed and put in an alumni room at the school.

"It may be that someone will read the letter and remember the dare," he added.