What are the chances of finding this painting of Castle Hill in a charity shop 18,000 miles from Huddersfield?
Julie Swinden, who left Huddersfield for New Zealand in 2004, snapped up the small watercolour from a shop in Wellington just before the New Year.
She had a few pangs of homesickness as she placed the two dollar bargain on her dining room wall.
Julie, who is from Salendine Nook, said the charity shop was in a part of Wellington named Marsden village!
“The back of the picture had a small sticker saying it’s an original watercolour by Marion Holmes, Almondbury.
“I was only in there because I was walking home and popped in to pass the time. Wellington at this time of year is incredibly quiet as everyone is on holiday.
“I just recognised the scene and picked it up because it surprised me. What was surprising is that it wasn’t in the box of pictures but in the collection of plates.”
Although the view of Castle Hill is stunning, Julie’s current view from her Wellington home is of the Makera hills which lead to the sea and the Cook Strait.
After she posted a photo of her find on Facebook, friends in Huddersfield described it as an “unbelievable” find.
One said: “It’s a small world!”
