When Bristol publican Betty Heinsdorf was given a painting of Concorde's maiden voyage from Filton, she didn't realise its significance.

The popular landlady often received gifts from her regulars, so the Concorde picture was just hanging in her lounge in Stoke Bishop, untouched for four decades.

Now, 40 years after the Filton-built prototype Concorde 001 made its maiden 20-minute flight from Bristol to Fairford, Mrs Heinsdorf appreciates that this gift is more valuable than the others.

Over the years friends and family have commented on the framed picture, which shows aviation history being made, with nine Red Arrows in formation followed by Concorde.

And as the milestone anniversary of the famous flight got closer, Mrs Heinsdorf has received many offers for the painting.

But speaking before the 40th anniversary of the Concorde's first flight today she told the Post that she wants the painting to go to someone who will truly appreciate it and pay a reasonable sum, which will go towards paying for "my last cruise before I die". It was given to her by a regular known only as Bill, who was an engineer at Filton airfield.

It is thought artist Jonathan Gibson only produced 20 of these paintings, which were presented to Concorde and Red Arrow pilots to mark the maiden flight.

The painting was signed by a number of pilots, including Brian Trubshaw and John Cochrane, who were at the controls of Concorde's first flight. Mrs Heinsdorf, now 83, ran the mid-terrace pub, Cotham Porter Stores, in Cotham Road South, in the early 1960s and owned it for 12 years along with her husband, Rudolf, a prisoner of war, who died seven years ago, and their dog Rex. The couple had two children, a daughter and a son, who passed away aged 25 in 1978.

Mrs Heinsdorf, who is partially house-bound due to osteoporosis, said: "The Concorde engineers came to the pub straight from work for a few pints before going home. They were a lovely crowd, who took pride in their work.

"Over the years people have asked me if they could have the picture, but I've always said no because it was a gift. They all said it was a pleasure to work on the Concorde. They enjoyed their job, it was their life.

"I've had so many presents given to me over the years. Bill, who gave me the Concorde painting, used to come in and stand at the corner of the bar, and wait for his colleagues to come in. If you dropped a box of matches in that pub, you couldn't pick them up again, it was so busy."

Mrs Heinsdorf now hopes someone truly interested in the painting's significance will make an offer for the artefact.

"I'd like one more cruise before I die," she said. "When I think of all of the lovely presents that have been given to me and all the lovely times, I realise what a lovely life I've had. It was lovely to speak to these engineers."