A LETTER written more than 80 years ago that inspired a former Middlewich teacher to research her family history has resulted in her being praised in a national competition.

Patricia Andrews, a former head of the history department at Middlewich High School, has been highly commended in a Sky Television competition.

Patricia has been researching her family history since her retirement in 2001.

She submitted a story to the Family History Project, a competition launched last autumn by The History Channel, in conjunction with The National Archives.

Hers was one of 4,000 entries and to Patricia's delight her story, submitted as Four Great Uncles and a Great War, was praised by judges and awarded the prize of a digital camera and a History Channel picnic rucksack.

Patricia said: "It all started when I discovered a letter written in 1917 to my grandmother by her brother Tom, in which he remarked that she had 'lost two brothers and a brother-in-law' in the Great War.

"I knew nothing about these great uncles, but I have now tracked down their details. This piece of research in record offices in the Midlands and, most recently, in London, to my great surprise, won me the prize.

"When Middlewich High School pupils made a First World War battlefields tour last summer, I asked them to locate the grave of my great uncle Frank at Serre Road cemetery on the Somme.

"They honoured his memory for me by placing poppies and a poem, written in school, by his headstone."

Patricia, of Middlewich Road, Holmes Chapel, made an all expenses paid trip to attend the prize-giving ceremony at The National Archives in London with her husband, Philip, former headteacher at Middlewich High School.

All the winning entries, with Patricia's re-named story Uncle Sid - Rediscovering Lost Relatives, will be included in a book about the Family History Project to be published later in the year and are online at www.thehistoryproject.co.uk

jdriscoll@guardiangrp.co.uk