A TEENAGER'S memorial bench has been returned back to its rightful place after it was washed away by a storm.

The father and sister of Archie Thomas, from Barbourne, Worcester, made an emotional journey to Port Isaac, North Cornwall, at the weekend.

Archie passed away on January 22, 1985, just before his 16th birthday, from a brain tumour he had been diagnosed with at the age of three.

His family had placed the bench at his favourite spot in the town where they had a holiday home.

However, during a New Year storm the bench was washed away and later discovered by Kathryn Challis washed up on a North Devon beach.

In an effort to trace the family, she posted on Facebook and Grace Brown, from Barnstaple, uncovered Archie's connection to Worcester.

Archie went to Hawford Lodge, now King's Hawford, and Sunnyside School and his father only moved away from the area two years ago.

After the story appeared in the Worcester News, readers inundated the newspaper with information including that Mr Thomas had once managed Avoncroft Museum.

At the weekend, Michael and Emily made the journey to Saunton to collect the bench and meet Ms Challis then travelled to Port Isaac to place it back in Archie's favourite spot.

Miss Thomas said it was "a very wonderful and emotional day" for the family.

Chris and Justeen Easton, from Devon, who sadly also lost their teenage daughter Ellie to Leukaemia, helped transport the bench.

Paying tribute to her younger brother, Miss Thomas remembered him as a "force of nature".

"Archie was very spirited young boy, always very outgoing and a very positive attitude and nature - everyone loved him.

"I think about him all the time."