PEOPLE who write in for clues about their family origins usually provide lists of long-gone forebears. But, just for a change, a Suffolk correspondent now hopes to recruit help in finding a live twig on her family tree.

Having somehow got wind of the success rate of customers of this column in tracking down clues, Alison Rafferty (28) hopes that they can now complete a missing piece in her family history.

She's hoping to locate her Newton-le-Willows-born granny, believed to have married a George Medal hero in 1950. "I have never met her and she will now be 81 if, hopefully, she is still alive."

Here are the sketchy details Alison has of her:

Margaret Rafferty was born at Grafton Street, Newton, on January 13, 1919, her parents being James and Nancy Rafferty (nee Fox). Alison's father, Francis John Rafferty, was born on April 5, 1944 and later fostered. Then, at the age of 31 (in 1950) Alison's grandmother married 50-year-old Harold Boyden Rylett, believed to have been from St John Street, Earlestown.

She understands that Mr Rylett was awarded the George Medal in 1949 for heroically rescuing two women from a blast at a colliery explosives works.

If her granny is no longer alive, she'd still like to hear from any of her family.

Alison, whose parents divorced when she was 16, has found family details thin on the ground ("My father seems to know less than me about his mother"). And she is also keen to discover who her paternal grandad was.

"I seem to have a major chunk of my past history missing," she laments. But now, she's hoping that some long-memoried Star reader may be able to help slot in some of the pieces.

Anyone able to oblige could drop me a line at: Whalley's World, St Helens Star, YMCA Buildings, Duke Street, St Helens WA10 2HZ . I'll then pass on any details to Alison at her Bury St Edmunds address.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.