Falmouth councillor David Saunby is appealing for help in finding a book which holds great sentimental value and is offering a reward to the person who can reunite him with it.

The book, entitled Important People by JH Dowd, belonged to his father who died at the age of just 37 in 1953. Mr Saunby said: "This is the book from which my father learnt to draw, and is of sentimental value, because it was given to him by his mother in the late1940s as a Christmas present which she wrote on the inside front cover."

The pale blue book was in a black shoulder bag which had yellow piping and was lost within the last two weeks. Mr Saunby had taken the book to Falmouth Art Gallery.

"After showing some members of the staff the book, I put it back in a black shoulder bag and left the art gallery," he said. "I normally walk up Webber Hill to the Quarry car park, but I can't recall if I went somewhere else in the town centre by foot, before going back to the Quarry car park and then home.

"I have searched my van inside out, and also at home, but without any luck. I would be extremely happy if the book is located, but the shoulder bag is not important."

He added: "The book has no real financial value, but it does have great sentimental value, and I would be willing to give a substantial reward for it's whereabouts, and safe return."