David Bowie fan Steve Parker, of Thorndon near Eye, has Aladdin Sane album returned to him after 51 years

A Suffolk music fan has been reunited with an iconic piece of vinyl – more than 50 years after first buying it.

Steve Parker, of Thorndon near Eye, bought David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane album in the summer of 1973 after returning to his family home in Surrey from Bangor University, where he was studying zoology.

“I was buying a lot of music in those days and was very keen of Bowie, especially his first three albums,” he said.

“In this one was a form to join his fan club, so I filled it in and slid it back into the vinyl sleeve, meaning to post it, and left the album at home.

“I went back to university, moved on to other things and simply lost track of the album.”

While Mr Parker would later give up hope of ever finding the record again, the fan club form that had remained unposted ended up providing a vital link when the 12-inch was eventually uncovered.

Earlier this year, NHS electrician Duncan Romain was doing some maintenance work in a hospital in Brighton and found a box of old records in a disused storeroom.

Keen on music, and a Bowie fan, he took some home, including a copy of Aladdin Sane.

After finding the fan club form with Mr Parker’s name on it, Mr Romain and his friends decided they were going to be heroes, just for one day, and took on the challenge of finding the album’s original owner.

About three weeks ago, Mr Romain put the details of the album and the form on a Facebook page – a post that was spotted by Mr Parker’s cousin, Neil, sister-in-law Jo and long-time friend Ken.

“I found out about all of this when these three saw it and got hold of me,” said Mr Parker.

“I then got in contact with Duncan and he was beyond genuine; he was fantastic.”

The pair of music lovers decided to meet so that Mr Parker could be reunited with the piece of music after a 51-year absence.

Meeting at the Black Horse Inn in Thorndon, Mr Parker was joined by Mr Romain and his friend, Matthieu Hartley, who was the original keyboardist with The Cure.

“It was a great gesture for them to come up and bring me the album,” said Mr Parker. “We had dinner and had a good talk about music.

“I am still a bit shocked about it all, especially when you consider how many coincidences there were.

“It has gone straight back into the David Bowie section of my vinyl collection.”