AMERICAN hospitality may be famous, but rarely does it extend to travelling half way around the world to return a lost walking stick.

But that is exactly what has happened to Joan Brice, a pensioner from Oxford, who left her folding cane in a Florida restaurant.

Waitress Anna Slaven, who was brought up in Littlemore but moved to the US as an adult, discovered the stick and noticed its only identification, a phone number, had an Oxford area code.

Last week, Miss Slaven returned to Oxford for her mother’s birthday and reunited the walking stick with a thrilled Mrs Brice on Sunday. Mrs Brice, a retired teacher, said: “I am delighted. Anna is absolutely the most lovely person.”

Mrs Brice was in the States visiting a friend in January and they were on their last night in Key West, Florida, when they decided to eat out. They had a meal at Abbondanza, an Italian restaurant, but Mrs Brice accidentally left her walking stick behind.

She has had osteoporosis for the last four years and uses a stick to stop her from falling and breaking bones.

Mrs Brice added: “On the way back to the UK I realised I hadn’t got my stick. I thought it would be in the room or in the suitcase, but I did not know where. Eventually I put it out of my mind and was back to the solid metal stick, which does not fold up and is not convenient when you are in an airplane.”

Then, last week, she got a phone call out of the blue from Miss Slaven.

Miss Slaven, 34, said: “When I saw it I knew it was an Oxford number and I just thought I would bring it the next time I came home.

“I did not want to just throw it away and it was not a big deal to bring it back with me.”

Miss Slaven, who moved to Key West after visiting her sister and falling in love with the place, came back to Oxford last week for her mother Margaret’s 80th birthday in Littlemore.

She said: “I called Joan when I came back and left a message, half expecting it not to be a big deal. But when she called back she was thrilled.

“When I realised she was not that far, I said I would drop it off. “I did not just want to put it in the post, I had to meet her.”

Miss Slaven reunited Mrs Brice with her well-travelled walking stick on Sunday afternoon. The pair now plan to stay in touch.

Mrs Brice added: “It is so sweet and I love the story that goes along with it. It is such an adventure.”