THE son of a Great Heck rail disaster victim has been reunited with his treasured trumpet, which was stolen over a fortnight ago.

Delighted detectives handed over the instrument yesterday to 11-year-old James Dunn, whose father Stephen was killed exactly a year ago when the coal train he was driving was hit by a GNER express.

James was heartbroken when the Yamaha trumpet he played at his father's funeral was stolen from the family's silver Nissan Terrano in the early hours of the morning.

The car was parked in the driveway of their home at Brayton, near Selby, when the thief broke in by smashing a window.

Hundreds of mourners wept when James played When The Saints Go Marching In on his trumpet - supported by Selby and District Scout and Guide Band - at his father's funeral service in Selby Abbey last March.

Mrs Dunn issued an emotional appeal for the return of the instrument, which was in a brown leather case with an Animal Hospital sticker on the front.

Detective Constable Pete Masterman, from Selby CID, duly obliged and yesterday presented a relieved James with his beloved trumpet at Selby Police Station.

The instrument was found in the back of a stolen car, used as the getaway vehicle in a burglary at Staynor Hall Farm, in Selby, last weekend.

The car was found abandoned in Leeds on Sunday evening.

In the back was stolen property from the Staynor Hall Farm burglary, together with James's trumpet.

DC Masterman said: "The little lad was overjoyed when he saw his trumpet again.

"It was nice to be able to hand it him back, especially this week on the first anniversary of the Great Heck rail disaster.

"At least we were able to start the week with a bit of good news for the family."

Hundreds of people - including the Dunn family - will gather tomorrow at the crash scene and Selby Abbey for memorial services to mark the first anniversary of the rail disaster, in which ten men lost their lives.

Updated: 14:48 Wednesday, February 27, 2002