Alan Roberts, Birmingham:

Back in the late 1960s I left the sixth form as a young, inexperienced young man with an interest in joining the teaching profession.

I applied for a place at St Peter's Teachers' Training College in Saltley, Birmingham and much to my surprise was accepted on the course to study craft.

I was one of almost 200 students who started our training that year, back in 1966.

It was a comparatively small, friendly, 'family' college where we all got to know each other quite quickly.

Isle of Wight County Press: Alan Roberts' old Land Rover

In 1967 I purchased an old dirty maroon coloured Land Rover from a local garage, the vehicle had been used as a tow truck to collect broken down vehicles.

After driving the Land Rover for a few months I decided to give it a new lease of life so stripped down the bodywork and re-sprayed it (using a cylindrical vacuum cleaner and glass spray gun) a metallic blue colour.

I then added the college scarf, as a paint job, along the bonnet and down the tailgate.

Why am I telling you this? Because for many years I have been trying to track down what may have happened to both the vehicle and the fellow student to whom I sold the vehicle.

If my memory serves me well (I am 75 so it could be a little hazy) I sold the vehicle to a Graham Smith who came to Saltley from Freshwater Bay ... his family lived on Afton Road.

I have tried the college Facebook page where old students discuss 'the good old days', I have approached the DVLA and I have even written letters to four different 'Smith' families who reside on the IW but, unfortunately all these have produced no leads as to either the whereabouts of Graham or the Land Rover.

Graham studied Physics and Drama at St Peter's, and may of course have remained on the mainland - or even travelled abroad - and never returned to the Isle.

I shall be holidaying on the IW during June so decided to try one last time to locate either Graham or someone's memory of the Land Rover to put my searching at an end.

If anyone has any knowledge or memories that they could share with me, I should be very pleased to hear them.

Email me on alannow2012@gmail.com