LIBRARY bosses have waived a £2700 fine for a book handed in more than 50 years late.

David Black handed in Goya by Dr Xavier de Salas to the Fine Art Library in Edinburgh during an amnesty last month.

The writer borrowed it in 1962 and said it slipped his mind to ever hand it back.

The book was overdue for 18,417 days, Under Edinburgh City Council's 15p-a-day fees it would have cost him £2762.55.

Despite several reminders from the library to hand back the book, it took the amnesty, which resulted in more than 4000 books being returned, to prompt Mr Black, 60, to hand it back.

He said: "I was only a schoolboy at the time."