The 11-year-old girl who sold a painting for €5 at a King’s Day market in Hoorn, not realising it was of great sentimental value to her mother, can rest easy again. The new owner has come forward after a Facebook appeal to return the picture of a woman in a ball dress reading a letter.

Mother Astrid Montijn, from the Noord Holland town of Blokker, was shocked when daughter Astrid said she had sold a painting she found at her father’s alongside other junk. The painting had been given to Astrid by a great aunt and ended up in her ex-husbands attic after they divorced.

Astrid put out an appeal via Facebook. ‘I hope I get it back, but I have no idea who the young woman who bought it is, or where she lives,’ she told local paper Noord-Hollands Dagblad.

On Thursday her appeal was answered. Alkmaar resident Desiree posted a picture of herself on Facebook with the painting and urged Astrid to get in touch. The two have made an appointment and on Thursday evening Astrid will get her picture back.