E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial marzipan model saved by St Albans family

The marzipan model of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was bought as a Father's Day present in 1982, the year of the film's release

The family of a man who died have found a preserved marzipan model of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial that was bought in 1982.

Jim Robson, a fan of the hit movie and marzipan, received the confectionary as a gift from his daughter.

It was purchased for £1.75 from Simmons Bakery in St Albans to coincide with the film's release.

The bakery director was amazed to see the product 40 years on but said he "wouldn't recommend eating it".

Mary Duke said her sister, Sarah Hayman, then 18, bought it for Father's Day.

"Dad loved marzipan so we always got it for him but he never wanted to eat this," said Ms Duke, who now lives in Bedford.

"I am now its keeper and I'll never eat it either."

The product has remained unopened in its original Simmons Bakery packaging

She said she first saw the film with her father at the St Albans Odeon as an eight-year-old and they both cried.

"I took him to see it in 2002, when it was rereleased, and we both cried again," she said.

Ms Duke also recalled how her late mother told her that when they visited Universal Studios in California, the couple went on the ride where you sit on bicycles with E.T. in its basket.

"My mum told us that he cried all the way round," she said. "He loved it so much."

Mary Duke and her dad Jim Robson enjoyed the film E.T. but cried every time they saw it

She found the vintage sweet treat at his house in St Albans following his death last year and said it brought back happy memories.

"We always knew he kept it as we would get it out every so often," she said.

"It was nice to see it again, it's like a familiar face, so finding it wasn't sad because it just always made us laugh.

"I took it home to look after and I haven't put it away. I like to see it every day."

'E.T. phone home'

ET: The Extra Terrestrial won four Oscars

• Released in 1982, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was the highest grossing film of the year

• Produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, it stars Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore

• It won four Oscars and, although it missed out on Best Picture, it won that accolade at both the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes

• E.T. never actually said the film's most famous quote, "E.T. phone home", the alien said "E.T. home phone" and it was Gertie (Barrymore) who corrected his grammar

Source: IMDB and film footage

Simmons Bakery, which has been trading in Hertfordshire since 1838, said items like this were often purchased as gifts.

"We are pleased to think that this product may have brought someone happiness," said a spokeswoman.

"We doubt the model is worth anything, other than the pleasure it may have brought to its owner.

"We wonder if it will last another 40 years."

Mary Duke was eight when her sister bought the marzipan E.T. for their father

Bakery director, Peter Williams, who has worked at the firm for more than 40 years, was amazed at the find.

He said: "Wow, you wouldn't expect to see any of our products after 40 years.

"I'm glad it's a piece of marzipan and not a loaf of bread but I still wouldn't recommend eating it."

Mary Duke said her father, who worked as a projectionist at the St Albans Odeon in the 40s and 50s, "loved ET and loved the movies"

Wesley Boutilier, from Atlanta, Georgia, has had a "lifetime obsession" with merchandise from the film and created The Official E.T. Fan Club group on Facebook.

He said: "I would add this little guy to my collection in a heartbeat.

"This is definitely one of the more random E.T. oddities I've come across."

Tim Lawes, from Propstore, which deals with film collectibles, said it was "a great story" but felt it was "sadly of very little commercial value".