A LETTER written to a Leyton prisoner of war (PoW) is one step closer to being returned to its rightful owner.

The letter was written by Eileen Pitts, once of Sidmouth Road, Leyton, to her husband, Rifleman George Pitts during the Second World War.

And tour operator Philip Baker, 60, who found the letter during a trip to Zabrze, Poland with the families of former PoWs, has now managed to trace Mr Pitts' nephew.

Mr Baker, of Broadstairs, in Kent, said: “I had about 10 minutes' conversation with him. I was just idly looking through the phone book for the area and found somebody called Pitts.

“I rang up and was told they'd moved to Barkingside. It turns out he was his nephew.”

Mr Baker then discovered that Mr Pitts passed away several years ago and his wife has lost touch with the family, but is believed to be living in Hastings.

He said: “They're having a family funeral next week, which means lots of family members will be together – they will be able to talk about it then.”

The couple did not have any children and Mr Pitts' nephew, Lesley, added he was unwilling to discuss his experiences as a PoW, Mr Baker said.

And amateur historian Ian Wade, 36, of Epping Way, Chingford, has also offered to help.

Mr Wade, who works in IT, said: “I found his prisoner of war number and his army number.

“He was in the Sherwood Foresters, which was an infantry regiment.”

It is believed George Pitts could have been one of the prisoners sent into coal mines in Poland after the letter a a photo were found in a nearby house and given to a museum on coal mining.

Mr Baker fears the letter never reached its destination as post often arrived months after it was sent.

His company, Camino Journeys, has been running the trips to Poland for about seven years, for former PoWs.