A GREENOCK man who found a 130-year-old silver medal has reunited it with the grandson of the 19th century farmer who won it.

Martin Smith, 67, unearthed the medal on the field boundary at Priestside Farm, situated between Kilmacolm and Greenock.

The award was inscribed with the name of James Gilmour, who took first prize in a ploughing contest in 1889 run by Erskine and Inchinnan Agricultural Society.

Martin, from Broomhill, said: “When I picked it up, the writing wasn’t legible, but when I got it home and gave it a clean I thought, there’s a story here, this belongs to someone."

He launched an appeal for relatives in the Telegraph and The Scottish Farmer - and made a breakthrough.

Alan Baird, of Langholm Farm in Symington, saw it and phoned his friend, also called James Gilmour, from Kilbirnie.

He recognised the medal as belonged to James' grandfather and a meeting was arranged to reunite them.

Jim, 79, remembered his grandfather as a farmer in Kirkoswald and a man with a passion for horses, a love that has been passed down to Jim.

He said he felt quite moved by the whole experience.

Jim said: “I want to thank Martin for this with all my heart, this is quite an event for me. I had such a warm feeling when I held the medal, like a piece of family history had come home.

“My father would be delighted to know that I have this now. It's been quite emotional."

Martin also did a lot of digging into the family's background in a bid to find out more about the original owner.

All other James Gilmours born around the right time had middle names it seemed, but Jim’s grandfather didn’t have a middle name, and there is none on the medal.

The birthday also tied in with the medal dates, making James 20-years-old when he won the medal.

He said: "I spent a lot of time researching the name at the library, looking up council death records and visiting James' grave in Greenock. It was nice to finally place the medal where it rightly belongs."

Jim’s sister, Janette, has been told all about the medal and is looking forward to seeing it too.

First and Third picture from Scottish Farmer and the others are George's.