A BROTHER and sister have discovered a book written by their father – 30 years after he died.

Simon Jones and Tina Graham were going through their late father Bernard York Jones’ belongings when they came across the adventure story.

The siblings, from Basingstoke, have now published the novel, entitled The World Erupts, in memory of their dad, who died of a heart attack in 1983, aged 61.

Simon, 59, from Kempshott, said: “We believe he began writing the story in the early 1960s and after several changes to the ending, depending on his mood, finally completed it in the ’70s.

“We feel it’s a great adventure story, and after many years, we have actually had some hardback copies published as a family heirloom, and have also now published it on Amazon.”

Mr York Jones, who lived in Kempshott, worked as a shipping manager in Basingstoke but always had a creative side and enjoyed sculpting, oil painting and also set up an amateur dramatics group.

Simon, a father-of-one who runs a flooding company, said: “He was a very clever man,” adding: “He would have loved to see it published.”

The story tells the adventure of a small group of passengers on a high altitude airliner, who escape destruction when the surface of the world is reformed by volcanic eruptions.

They search for land in a lifeboat, and the story details their encounters with unknown sea and land creatures.

Simon said: “It was lovely to find it. My mum welled up a bit when she saw it – she’s 93.”

Simon and Tina sent the book to publishers, and have included the response from one on the description of the book on Amazon.

Linda Evans, editor of Transworld Publishers Ltd, said: “I have read your late father’s novel The World Erupts with great interest and enjoyment.

“It must have been an exciting moment to discover this story among his things when you had no idea of its existence.

“He tells the story well, and it’s certainly an unusual and fantastic one – a slight touch of Jules Verne, I thought. Thank you for giving me the pleasure of reading it.”

The book is available to buy for £2.99 from Amazon.