A 310-year-old antique violin worth £250,000 that was stolen from a train in London has been returned to its owner with no damage.

Professional musician Stephen Morris, who said it was “devastating” to lose the instrument made by craftsman David Tecchler in 1709, reported the violin missing on 22 October.

He said he left the violin on the London Victoria to Orpington train when he got off at Penge East.

Tweeting the news that the violin had been returned, Morris wrote: “My violin is home safe and sound! Thanks for the overwhelming support.”

Overseen by plain-clothes police officers, the instrument was handed to Morris at a car park in Beckenham on Friday evening after a suspect was identified.

The BBC reported that the man who had the violin apologised and said he had made a mistake. Morris told the BBC: “I feel a bit battered and bruised... I haven’t had a great deal of sleep since it went missing. He was very apologetic, he said he wanted to hand it to me in person.”

British Transport Police had previously said a man had taken the violin as the train approached Bromley South, and got on a connecting train to St Mary Cray.

Police released a CCTV image of a man they believed to be connected to the incident; a person then sent a direct message to Morris on Twitter who identified him.

BTP said it would be taking no further action against the man, as he had contacted Morris and handed the violin back. “It couldn’t have ended in a happier way,” the musician said.