Janice Carpenter was about to hand this ageing cricket bat to her grandchildren for a knock-about – when she realised it was signed by some of the biggest names in England’s sporting history.

The 57-year-old, who lives in Dawley Bank in Telford, unearthed it from a cupboard in her house where it had been stored for several years since it had been handed down to her son by her late father.

She could make out two names – Peter May and Godfrey Evans – and wrote to the Shropshire Star’s sports desk to find out who they were.

They were identified as top international players from the 1950s: May, who died in 1994, played for Surrey, Cambridge University and England and was regarded as a batting prodigy.

He made his Test match debut against South Africa at Headingley in 1951, scoring 138, and was a regular for nearly 10 years.

Thomas Godfrey Evans played for Kent and, from 1946 to 1959, England. He was described by cricket Bible Wisden as “arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen”. He died in May 1999.

Mrs Carpenter said her father William Wilson gave the bat to her son Christopher, who is now 24, before his death six years ago.

She said he liked collecting all sorts of objects and enjoyed searching through junk shops and antique shops in the Telford area.

“I haven’t got a clue where he got it from,” she said. “He used to collect a lot of things and liked going in antique shops.

“If he saw anything he liked he would just buy it.”

Mrs Carpenter added: “It has been in the cupboard in my bedroom and I got it out to give to my grandson to play with.”

Her next-door neighbour then pointed out the names to her and she put it back in storage before writing to the Shropshire Star to find out who they were.

She said thought the bat could be signed by an entire England team from the era but said she had no idea how much it would be worth.

She said: “The bat says it is made in Pakistan. It would be nice to find out when the bat is from as well.”

By Dave West