She is part of a love story from a bygone era, chronicled in a tender series of love letters, poems and photographs which perfectly encapsulated her Audrey Hepburn-like beauty.

But these incredible pictures and letters, written and taken in the 1940s, have been mysteriously found in a plastic bag on a West Country bus.

They were left behind in the summer of 2008, and since then local bus operator First has been trying to trace their owner by writing to the addresses on the letters. But as yet, no one has claimed them.

The letters are largely all addressed to a Miss Anna Paton, who is presumed to be the girl in the photographs.

They appear to be from someone called Xavier, although no surname is mentioned, and a couple of letters are addressed to V I Paton.

The purple plastic carrier bag, which contains more than 70 black and white photos and as many airmail letters – some tied together with pink ribbon – was found on a coach which terminated in Bristol. It could have come from London or Devon and Cornwall.

She lived at addresses in London (Chelsea and Knightsbridge), Cornwall (St Ives), Barcelona in Spain, Sydney in Australia, Antibes in France, and Lisbon in Portugal during the 1960s and 1970s.

She also spent time on board the Blue Star SS Auckland Star, calling at ports in Senegal in West Africa and Cape Town in South Africa.

First’s regional managing director Justin Davies said: “These letters clearly have special significance to someone.

“Within the bag are also several love notes that would have been sent with bouquets of flowers, and there are also several handwritten poems.

“It would be wonderful to reunite this lost property with its owner. The photos are also amazing; really capturing the spirit of the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

“Looking at the photographs and the dates on the letters, it’s clear that the owner would probably be in their 70s or 80s now, and I imagine these letters and photos would mean a great deal to them, or their children.

“I genuinely hope we are able to trace their owner and return them to their rightful home.”

There is also an Australian birth certificate in the name of Muriel Mayklim Jackson (the daughter of Isobel Paton Jackson nee Fitzsimmons and William Sydney Jackson), and two deed poll name change documents (Isabel Paton Jackson changed her name to Isabel Paton, and Muriel Mayklim Jackson became Muriel Mayklim Paton – both in 1956).

There is also a newspaper cutting from 1953 showing

the wedding notice of Miss Muriel Jackson to Mr Peter Heath (in the society pages of the Sunday Herald Newspaper (Australia).

Anyone with information about the owner of the letters should contact Karen Baxter, First’s PR manager by emailing: Karen.baxter@firstgroup. com or writing to: Karen Baxter c/o First, Enterprise House, Easton Road, Bristol, BS5 0DZ.