A former Northern Echo reporter has spent the past two years trying to answer one of the most puzzling questions in English history.

And now David Dougan has published a book to explain the conundrum: To Return a King.

In it, David describes why the country reverted to monarchy in 1660 after a decade or so as a republic.

He traces the events in great detail - and has also taken the opportunity to explain why each step occurred in the way that it did.

He said: "It is particularly fascinating to track the events of those days and to record the return of monarchy, especially since at least some of its members remain controversial figures today."

David acknowledges that he's benefited from courses he has taken for the University of the Third Age in Suffolk, where he now lives.

The 25 members of his group debated and discussed the issues, delivered presentations and produced their own booklet containing information on such topics as 17th-century furniture, architecture, women’s lives and medicine.

To Return a King, the outline of 30 months between the death of Oliver Cromwell and the coronation of Charles II, is available from Grove Publishing, 1 Grove Road, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3BE at £11.99 a copy plus £1.50 for postage and packing.

Grove is Derek’s own publishing company and he saiys that setting up his own company was a natural step and a very exciting one: "The whole process has proved very stimulating since I have had to find out so much about the printing and publishing business.

"It is certainly a step that I would encourage other authors to take since everything is then under your own control."