AFTER 40 years, retired teacher Joan Turnbull has been reunited with the old harmonium she first played as a young Sunday school girl.

The reunion happened after the small wooden organ was discovered in a cupboard under the stairs at the Methodist chapel in Crook, County Durham, where Mrs Turnbull has worshipped all her life.

"It came as a bit of shock," said Mrs Turnbull, "and it has brought back all kinds of memories."

As a 15-year-old, Mrs Turnbull first started playing the harmonium as part of the Sunday school anniversary celebrations at the old Dawson Street chapel in Crook.

"In those days we used to pull it around the streets on a bogie, which meant it didn't need to be dismantled.

"The anniversary services were held on two Sundays in June and I used to accompany the choirs on the harmonium," she said.

"I can remember last playing it in 1964 - and it then seemed to just vanish."

But during a cleaning day at the chapel, the harmonium was found under the stairs.

"I knew straight away exactly what it was," said Mrs Turnbull. "One of the bellows needed a bit of work on it and a piece of wood had to be stuck back in place, but otherwise it was in good condition and ready to play."

Along with other members of the Stanhope Choral group, of which she is accompianist, Mrs Turnbull thought it appropriate for the harmonium to make its musical comeback at carol-singing sessions for Santa Specials on the Weardale Railway.

And it soon became the centre of attraction for passengers on festive journeys on the recently reopened railway.

Mrs Turnbull believes the harmonium, manufactured by Geo A Gray and Co, London, is at least 70 years old - and could be much older.

"Many Methodist chapels in this area would have had similar harmoniums and would have used them as we did," she said.

"But I doubt if many, if any, are still in existence and in such good playing order."

"It's not difficult to actually play it, but you have to pedal like mad to operate the bellows," said Mrs Turnbull.