The tale of a young Scots girl who stowed away on an Africa-bound steamer is one that will set most parents' hearts racing.
Isobel Scott, 15, went to the cinema for an evening in Edinburgh in 1957 – and failed to return home. Her disappearance sparked alarm and a search was launched to trace the teen, of Earl Haig Gardens in the capital.
Remarkably, Edinburgh Live reports, she was found around 500 miles away hiding on board a Panama-registered cargo steamer that had docked in Dover, and was bound for Morocco. The ship, the Linda, was a little off of England's southern coast and heading for Casablanca when she was found hiding in the crew quarters.
A London newspaper of the time reported that she had enacted her great escape on January 6. Instead of going to the cinema, as she had told her parents, Isobel sauntered down to Leith Docks and boarded the 3,000 ton cargo ship.
She was not discovered until the boat was making for the African continent some 12 days later. The crew had to radio Dover Police to make them aware of the discovery, and a pilot cutter sailboat was organised to rendezvous with the massive transporter and take Isobel back to dry land.
Reports at the time said she had shared a joke and a cigarette with the crew of the rescue ship as she was transported back. Suggestions had been made that she had stowed away for romance but these notions were dispelled by her father, Frank Scott, who travelled to Dover to take her home.
At the time, Frank, an ex-serviceman, said: "All I want is to get Isobel back home. It was a silly thing of her to do."
Isobel was then photographed at home by the Record's sister paper, the Daily Mirror, and expressed regret at her act of rebellion. She said: "It's certainly not fun stowing away – I found that out."
No criminal charges were ever brought against the teenager – but her story lives on as a legend of teenage derring-do.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here.
