A WOMAN has laid a wreath at the spot where her father was lost at sea more than 70 years ago.

Elsie Battye, of Honley, was only six when William Green died in the Baltic Sea off the Danish coast in July, 1928. He was just 27.

He was in the Merchant Navy, ferrying coal to Denmark. He was killed in a freak accident as he painted the side of the ship.

Mr Green plunged into the water, possibly striking his head against the side of the vessel, the James Dunford. His body was never found.

He had been at sea for nine years, first as a fisherman and then as an able seaman in the Merchant Navy.

"It was a long, long time before I accepted he wasn't coming home," said Elsie, now 83.

She has only a few precious memories of her father.

"I didn't see all that much of him, because he was a deep sea fisherman and had long periods of absence. The little I did see of him are treasured memories. He was a cheerful sort of person."

Her mother, Eileen, struggled on, bringing up four children.

Elsie grew up in Cleethorpes but moved to Huddersfield at the beginning of the Second World War.

As the years went by, she decided to pay tribute to her father.

"I just wanted to know where it happened. I wanted to be there," she said.

Elsie had a wreath made in the shape of a sail to lay at the spot, 70 nautical miles off the Danish coast.

The flowers were lowered into the sea in a moving ceremony this month.

Elsie travelled to the area with her grandson, Ian Leech, and his wife, Caroline, who are from London. The group reached the spot on a small passenger ferry.

The ceremony was conducted by its captain, Kjeld Jacobsen, and watched by about 20 passengers, who observed a minute's silence.

"I feel I'm not searching any more," said Elsie.