THE search is on for a mystery benefactor whose legacy allowed an Ilkley school to buy the statue pictured above.

The statue is called 'Learning Hand in Hand' and it takes pride of place in the school grounds along with a statue of birds by the school pond. But the origin of the £1,000 legacy which helped buy the statues is a mystery to staff at All Saints Primary School on Skipton Road.

A spokesman for the school said: "In summer 1999 out of the blue we received a letter from a solicitor informing us that that we had been allocated a legacy from a lady called Miss Laura Roberts-Mason."

Because the school was due to move premises, staff took a decision to keep it until the new school opened. But a query to the Leeds-based solicitor failed to elicit the background or motive for the legacy.

The spokesman said: "We don't know this lady's connection to the school or why she left this money - whether she was a pupil, taught at the school, or was a local resident.

"So if there is anybody out there who knows anything about her we would be interested to know."

The statue of the two figures holding hands was chosen because it reflects the school's logo of two saint characters holding hands.