THE great-great-grandson of a Blackburn bookseller has travelled more than 6,000 miles to read his ancestor's memoirs.

Richard Tiplady, an English descendant who has lived in Brazil all his life, decided to research his family history over the internet.

And he was amazed when he found extracts from his great great grandfather's diary on the computer screen in front of him.

Charles Tiplady, who worked as a printer and book seller in Blackburn, kept a diary from 1839 until his death in 1873.

This diary was serialised in the Blackburn Times after Charles' death and then went missing.

But five years ago, during a house clearance in Nottingham, it was found in a skip by an auctioneer, who realised the document's connection with Blackburn and contacted the town's museum.

The document was subsequently bought by Blackburn Library, the museum and the local history society and has become a major part of Cottontown website, part of a project dedicated to the history of Blackburn with Darwen.

Mr Tiplady, who lives in Sao Paolo, said: "I knew I had a male line connected to Blackburn because of what my grandfather had told me.

"I decided to research my history using the internet which provided 150 references to Charles Tiplady.

"But the main link I saw was for something called Cottontown.

"I clicked on it and saw they had my great-great-grandfather's diary extracts. It was unbelievable."

Richard was determined to come to Blackburn and contacted the council Cottontown project manager Andy Kirman.

He travelled over with his son, Jason, 29.

Mr Kirman said: "I was absolutley flabbergasted.

"I can't really remember what I said, I was shocked.

"Councillor Kate Hollern, deputy leader of the council, said: "This project has put Blackburn on the world map.

"Andy and Mick have done an amazing job,

"I am really pleased Richard has discovered the history of his family and then made the effort to come to Blackburn."

Mr Tiplady was offically welcomed by Coun Hollern and then taken on a tour of the town.

He said: "I have not had chance to see the whole of the town but I like it very much."

Mick Harling, keeper of social history at Blackburn Museum, said: "I got a phone call out of the blue from an auctioneer who had found the ledger on top of a skip.

"He related it to Blackburn and telephoned us to see if we knew anything about Charles Tiplady.

"We realised its importance and went down to the auction to secure the diary for the town."

The long- lost diary was considered such a treasure that the museum planned an exhibition with the diary as its centrepiece.

"This was Tiplady's Blackburn, which ran for two months in Autumn 2001.

Blackburn Museum consulted the Lancashire Record Office to decide how best to preserve the diary, which, despite its age, was in good condition.

The original copy has been kept by the museum and a microfilm copy has been made to be used by library visitors.