A rare First World War handkerchief, once issued to a local soldier, has found a new home in Hay. Owned by Brian Cunningham of Gunbar, this historic artifact is now safely preserved behind glass. Many such handkerchiefs were designed for soldiers in 1916, but this particular pattern appears to be unique. During WWII, similar handkerchiefs were even used as secret escape maps, hidden in uniforms to aid Allied troops in case of capture.