A Carmarthen pensioner who volunteers at her local British Heart Foundation (BHF) shop found something rather special while stacking shelves – a rare photograph of her father who died when she was a young girl. Jean Green’s dad Joe Elias died when she was just seven years old and her family have very few photographs of the coracleman who died in the early 1950s.

Jean, 76, was volunteering at the store in Pensarn Retail Park in Carmarthen when she noticed an image on the front of a donated book called Images of West Wales. To her surprise and delight found it was a picture of her dad. You can keep up to date with the latest Carmarthenshire news by signing up to the local newsletter here.

A former NHS worker and great-grandmother of one Jean, who lives in the Llangunnor area of the town and volunteers at the shop twice a week, said she couldn’t believe her eyes when she realised it was her late dad on the front cover. She said: “I looked at this book and then I thought to myself: 'That fisherman looks like my dad'. I looked closer and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that it was him. It was an unbelievable surprise and it felt so emotional to see him there in print. We have few photos of my dad so it just feels like this was meant to be. It really took me back to my childhood."

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The book was published by the Carmarthen Journal in 1999 with the image of Joe Elias beside his coracle on the front. The photo was believed to have been taken in the late 1940s. Jean added: “He was a fisherman on the River Towy and he was only 62 when he died. He was a quiet character who would’ve kept himself to himself but he was well known in the town for making coracle boats. It was lovely to see an image of him standing by one of his boats.”

At the time the family lived in Elliston Terrace in Carmarthen and Jean said coracle fishing was a big part of the town. "My father used to make the coracles at home and also the coracle fishing nets too," she said. "He used to fish with my oldest brother Bryn and that was always done at night." Understandably the book is now in Jean's possession and is a touching reminder of her father.

Linda Ryan, manager of the BHF store in Carmarthen, said: “Jean is a wonderful help and a much-loved member of our team It’s just so fortunate for Jean that she was in that day or we may never have known the connection. The odds of this happening are just so slim – the book is a rare find and anyone could have been tasked with stocking the books that day.

"Maybe Jean’s dad was looking out for her that day. We hope this will encourage those who have any rare and unique pieces in need of a new home to donate it to us. You never know what you will find at your local BHF shop.”