AN American museum curator is visiting East Lancashire to research members of his family.

Stewart Manville, 70, first contacted David Manville, of Camm Lane, Thornton-in-Craven, back in the mid-70s as part of his research into his family tree.

They lost contact over several years, but recently the friendship was renewed when Stewart, a curator at a New York museum devoted to musician Percy Grainger, wrote to say he was visiting England.

He stayed with David and his wife, Sylvia, while continuing his genealogical research. He has found out the name is originally from a family from Boulogne who came to settle in England.

Stewart said: "I started researching the family in 1948 and I wrote to quite a few people to trace the history. I have researched back to my ancestor Nicholas Manville, who came to America in 1730 from the Sussex area."

While in East Lancashire Stewart met David's son. Bruce, who used to run the Lord Rodney pub, in Colne, and two of his other children, Justin and Samantha.

And he would have picked up some interesting tales for his research about male model Justin, who had a well-publicised affair with former Hollyoaks star Davinia Murphy. The stormy relationship ended in tears and Justin and Davinia have since been at loggerheads after he sold a kiss and tell story about their affair to a tabloid newspaper.

Recently Davinia has said Justin owes her money she claims to have lent him during their time together.

But Justin hit back saying he owed her nothing as all she gave him were genuine gifts.

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