Frank Oldfield Lost and Found

In the grim heart of a Lancashire mining village, a desperate mother’s plea echoes through soot‑blackened streets. When her fourteen‑year‑old son, Sam, vanishes after a strange, silent encounter with the hearth, the community is thrust into a restless search. The rough‑handed collier, the impatient father, and the gossiping neighbours each reveal a world where poverty, alcohol, and fear shape every interaction, and where a young boy’s quiet resolve hints at something deeper than his harsh upbringing.

As the night deepens, the town’s narrow lanes become a maze of whispered rumors and uneasy alliances, while Sam’s fleeting note—five shillings and a lock of hair—suggests a hidden motive. Listeners are drawn into a tale of familial love strained by hardship, where the line between escape and desperation blurs, and the question lingers: what will Sam’s return—or his permanent absence—mean for those left behind?