THE accompanying photo may be the only picture Mrs Doris Robbins has of her sister Lydia, adopted when their mother died in childbirth 66 years ago.

"I know it's a long chance, but it's my only chance," said Mrs Robbins of English Bicknor, who has been trying for years to trace Lydia after most of her eight brothers and sisters have died, many in tragic circumstances.

"I have been living with the hope for years. It was the only picture of a baby in an album I got from Dad, and I know most people usually take more than one photo so somewhere someone may have one similar."

The family lived in Aylburton when her mother died; she now has only a brother left. Two other brothers died in a tragic fire, one sister died of meningitis at 19, and another sister was murdered by a former boyfriend in London.

Yet another brother killed himself in his 40s after losing a leg to TB following a football accident when he was 16.

"I would love to see Lydia again – of course there's a chance she has never been told, but I don't see what harm this could do after such a long time," said Mrs Robbins, the oldest of the nine Jones children.

She even hired a search agency to try to find her but the trail ran cold, although she did find her birth certificate – she was registered in Chepstow as Lydia Josephine Jones, born in July, 1935.

Her father, who brought the other children up with the help of their grandmother, died before she was able to ask much about Lydia, but she did know the baby was taken in by National Children's Home because her father was unable to cope.

"I have asked NCH for help but they wanted me to pay to go on a register and have counselling, which I don't see any point in – they said they didn't guarantee contact and I cannot afford it anyway," she said.

Anyone who can help should contact the Review or write to Mrs Robbins at 4, Smithy Place, English Bicknor, Coleford GL16 7PJ.