A stolen painting which was part of a set worth £3,000 was bought at a car boot sale for £20.

Now the piece, which is called Princess, has been returned to its rightful home thanks to The Argus.

Edna Page, 64, fell in love with the distinctive painting of a young girl wearing a daisy chain crown when she spotted it at a car boot sale in Woodingdean so she snapped up.

When she got it home her sister remembered reading in The Argus about the theft of a painting from artist Julie-Anne Gilburt's Brighton seafront studio in February.

Mrs Page, of Woodingdean, Brighton, said: "I was strolling along looking at the ground at a boot sale and the daisies on the girl's head jumped out at me.

"I paid £20 for it, quite a lot of money. I liked the painting.

"Then I spoke to my sister about it and she remembered a theft which appeared in The Argus. It vaguely rang a bell.

"My sister was quite sure it was the one so I got on the phone to The Argus straight away.

"I took it to show the artist and she confirmed it."

Princess was part of a set and was painted for the children's charity Whoopsadaisy.

It was stolen from an event to raise money for the charity. Mrs Gilburt said: "It is only small and lots of people were coming in and out so someone must have put it under their coat.

"How it ended up at a boot sale is anyone's guess. It could have changed hands a few times."

The painting has now been given back to Whoopsadaisy.

Mrs Gilburt said: "I'm absolutely thrilled. I never thought I would see it again and it was an important painting because it was for charity.

"Thanks to The Argus for publicising the theft and especially to Mrs Page for being so public-spirited in coming forward."

Nina Holland, one of the founders of Whoopsadaisy, said: "It was everyone's favourite painting of the set so we were very upset when it was taken.

"It is a very special picture and we are delighted to have it back."

Mrs Page said: "I'm glad it has gone back to its rightful home. They were very pleased and they did give me my £20 back."

The police were not involved because Mrs Gilburt thought the charity would report the theft but Mrs Holland thought the artist had.