When Sharon Strettons video camera was stolen from an outback town in Queensland, Australia more than 20 years ago, she didnt have high hopes for its return.

That is, until Hughenden police came across the out-of-date device and managed to return it to its rightful owner.

Incredibly, the camera still contained the VHS tape from when it was stolen, meaning Sharon had the precious home videos from her childrens first years in her possession once again.

Two decades ago, the camera was taken from Sharons home in Mount Isa. It was a pricey purchase for the 20-something mum but now shes been reunited with the now old-fashioned contraption.

Kate Cusac, administration and property officer for Hughenden police station, had the nice job of phoning Ms Stretton with the good news, telling her that the device was found by someone claiming an abandoned public housing complex.

According to Ms Cusac it was a simple enough task to find the original owner. She said: “He sort of got his camera out and went through our system and he linked it to back an occurrence in 1998 in Mount Isa.

“We tracked down the lady and… she was able to describe the camera to us and she was pretty excited about that.”

Speaking to ABC, Ms Stretton said: “Not in a million years did I think it would come back. Its in pristine condition which actually blows me away – that like, someone has obviously taken it, but its still in its case, it still has all its leads, it doesnt even look like it has been used.”

She went on: “Back in the day it was the bees knees. It was definitely one of the newest, like the newest thing to have, and we used to take it out to the station and use it all the time – youd have to be young to carry this thing, its huge.”

She went on to explain that her son, Jack Stretton, has been using the camera recently and said: “I think it might end up in his room.”