An eagle-eyed volunteer at Wightwick Manor in Wolverhampton turned detective to track down a stolen ceramic tile.

When the precious William De Morgan tile depicting a peacock disappeared, Brendan Hawthorne started scouring the internet in case it turned up.

He struck gold a few weeks later when it popped up on ebay, where it was being sold by an unsuspecting vendor who had bought it from Petticoat Lane antiques market in London.

The 48-year-old, who has been volunteering at the National Trust attraction for a year, said today: “I couldn’t believe it. I had been monitoring the site for a few weeks when it appeared. I managed to compare it to the photograph and I knew it matched identically.”

Following police intervention the sale was suspended and the tile was returned within three weeks.

De Morgan tiles can sell more than £1,000. The innovative 19th century potter met textile designer William Morris in 1863 and they remained lifelong friends and central figures in the arts and crafts movement.

Patrick Vasey, visitor services manager at Wightwick Manor, added: “We were so thrilled when Brendan said he had found it. The tile is now back on show and we reopen on February 20.”