Dumbfounded David and Jennifer Palliser, from Huddersfield, discovered the heavily delayed arrival addressed to a previous occupant on
their doormat with a 5d stamp, among a number of routine bills.

The long lost piece of post arrives at a time when postal strikes across the country have caused delays in the delivery of mail - though most recipients have faced a wait of just a matter of days rather than several decades.

Heather, the sender of the snail mail, was writing to a Mr and Mrs Sedgwick to tell them about her relaxing holiday in the sun, watching plays and taking in a tennis match at Wimbledon.

The mystery postcard features a picture of Anna Hathaway's Cottage and was posted from Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, in the summer of 1969.

Mrs Palliser said: "I saw the postcard lying on the mat with the other post and my first thought was whos sent us a postcard?

"I read the name and thought it must have come to the wrong house.

"Then I saw it had a 5d stamp and realised it was properly addressed but was 40 years old.

"The postcard looks to be in good condition, considering its age."

Mrs Palliser said a Mr and Mrs Sedgwick had lived at the address but the house had at least two other occupants before the Pallisers moved in during 1986.

Mr Palliser said: "We are asking around some of the neighbours who may know what became of the Sedgwicks or their relatives.

"If possible, wed like to make sure the postcard gets to its rightful
recipients."

A spokesman for Royal Mail said: "Without seeing the item, it's difficult to speculate as to what may have happened, but it's extremely unlikely that it's been in our system all that time as we regularly check all our sorting machines and offices.

"It could be that it has only recently been re-posted by a member of the public."