HISTORIC film footage of the Queen that was discovered in a car boot sale is set to be showcased by the National Library of Scotland.

Nostalgia enthusiast Gavin Knight bought an old Kodak spool at the sale for £5 and was intrigued when he spotted that it came with a letter sent from a Barrhead address in 1965.

His interest grew after he noticed the words ‘Queen at Inchinnan’ written on the lid.

However, 44-year-old Gavin was unable to view the footage without specialist equipment.

He asked for help to find out more about the spool’s history, prompting Paisley Camcorder Club organiser Richard Weeks to come forward.

Now, after doing some fact-checking and digitising the footage, the pair have been able to confirm the spool shows Her Majesty touring round the India of Inchinnan tyre factory in 1956.

And historians at the National Library of Scotland have contacted Gavin to ask if they can include the footage as part of its collection.

He now hopes to complete the story by tracing relatives of the film’s original owner.

Gavin said: “After a bit of digging around online, I have discovered the identity of the original owner. Richard digitised the film for me and it threw up a number of clues.

“The film opens with the text ‘Foxbar House, June 1958’, confirming the date of the film. It is four minutes and 25 seconds long and does indeed show the Queen and Prince Philip.

“We also have footage of ‘Margaret at university’. We can now identify that Margaret graduated from Glasgow University in 1958, with an MA. Her robes identified her studies.

“Armed with this information, I contacted Glasgow University, who have records dating back many years.

“We now have details of the original owner. All we need to do next is trace any remaining relatives.”

An internet search for ‘Foxbar House, June 1958’ brought up a letter published with the same date.

Gavin soon discovered the note was penned by Dr JA Gibson, a naturalist and writer who died in 2013.

He then found an article by Dr Gibson which states: “At our previous home, Foxbar House, south of Paisley, on the lower slopes of the Gleniffer Braes, we had an outdoor swimming pool, populated, I hasten to add, largely by frogs and newts.”

If you have information about the film’s original owner or would like to share any old photos of Renfrewshire or East Renfrewshire with our readers, send an email to jonathon.reilly@newsquest.co.uk.