HAVE you ever picked up a map only to find the place you're looking for isn't on it?

Most people would be irritated by the inconvenience. But workers at Preston-based Lancashire Waste Services were over the moon when they found the global map in a skip in Salt Ayre, Lancaster.

For the atlas dates back to 1821 - and was printed before parts of America and Arabia had been charted!

The quick-thinking employees quickly retrieved the ancient atlas, which calls Australia New Holland, and it has now been valued at around £2,000 by Sotherby's specialised book department.

It was described by auctioneers as scarce, rather than rare.

But instead of cashing in on their find, bosses at LWS initially waited for the owner to come forward.

No-one has claimed it, so the pricey book has been handed over to Preston's reference library for the public to view.

Colin Burford, LWS chief executive, said: "This is a special find because it was the standard international reference book of its time."

The book contains 74 colour maps which depict the world before the British Empire took over.

David Shuttleworth from the reference library was given the book at a presentation ceremony last Friday.

He said: "We are very grateful for this donation. It is our oldest map in the Shepherd Collection of Antique Books and takes our geographical knowledge back by a further 50 years."

Pictured are David Shuttleworth, reference librarian and Colin Burford, chief executive of LWS

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.