SIXTY years after she wrote it, a 90-year-old grandmother has had her first book published, after the manuscript was rediscovered in her loft.

Muriel Harwood, of Princes Road, Buckhurst Hill, wrote the music book called The Calendar just after she got married in 1949 but, after failing to find a publisher, put it aside to be forgotten.

Mrs Harwood said: “I tried to get it published. I think my uncle put in a few inquiries with the Oxford University Press and all sorts, but they all said it was good and they liked it but they hadn't any reasons for publishing it.

“I got discouraged and I was expecting my first child so I just forgot all about it. I don't know how it ended up in the roof but it did.

The book consisted of a child's book of music for the piano composed by Mrs Harwood along with hand-drawn illustrations painted by her of scenes from Epping Forest.

The manuscript was found in May last year by her son and daughter-in-law Chris and Liz Harwood as they cleaned out her loft, and has now finally seen the light of day after it was taken up by a publisher called NorthStar Music.

Mrs Harwood said: “It's very nice. My son and daughter-in-law gave me a pile so I could give them to my friends for Christmas presents.”

Granddaughter Emma Bacon, 34, of Godwin Close, Sewardstone, said: “It's a lovely book. Needless to say, we're all over the moon that we've found someone to publish this for her. It's given her a new lease of life.”

Mrs Harwood said:“It gave me great pleasure to write it. I wanted to take up art but I didn't think there was much future in it.”

• The Calendar is available via NorthStar Music Publishing. Inquiries can be emailed to TheCalendarSongs@Yahoo.co.uk