The Australian helping to return stolen English church artefacts

From more than 10,500 miles away, an Australian solicitor helped return two artefacts stolen from English churches. Richard d'Apice spotted the items - a panel and a funeral hatchment - from Norfolk and Hertfordshire places of worship, while doing some online shopping. The Heraldry Society member who loves a symbol said it "feels wonderful" to know his extensive knowledge and research had been put to good use, and the items were now "back to where they belong". d'Apice, 80, who lives in Sydney, says he has always been interested in heraldry, and particularly funeral heraldry, said: "Any church that's got a door open, I have to have a look". Last December, he was looking online for items being sold by Dreweatt Auction House when he came across a painted wooden panel. After carrying out a lot of research, he discovered it had been mentioned in early writings in an 1812 publication called The Gentleman's Magazine, and it was from St Leonard's Church in Flamstead, Hertfordshire. It dates from the 1600s, is worth about £3,000, and commemorates George Cordell, who served in the royal households of three monarchs. "These things are very hard to obtain ecclesiastical permission to be remov