A LOVING daughter is hoping to track down her war hero father’s long-lost motor car which he bought from a fellow pilot more than 75 years ago.

Flt Lt Bryan Wild was just 22 when he got behind the wheel of his beloved green Singer Le Mans sports car in between flying daring raids on bomber support and intruder raids over Germany in 1944.

He was also part of the first Battle of Britain Memorial Flypast over London on September 15, 1945, led by Sir Douglas Bader

Forced to sell his car after the war, Flt Lt Wild moved away from Bolton as he settled into civilian life, trained as a teacher and lived in Derbyshire with his wife, Bunty.

But he never forgot his favourite car right up until his death aged 90 in 2012, prompting his daughter Elizabeth Halls to write a book based on his wartime memoirs and even buy an identical car to her father’s with which she toured 60 British airfields raising money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. who helped her father when he contracted Parkinson’s disease

Now Elizabeth is desperate to find Flt Lt Wild’s original vehicle and is hoping someone in his hometown might remember it.

“All I know is that dad sold it while he lived in Bolton between 1946 and 1950,” she said. “He was brought up in very poor circumstances in Bolton and he said the war was a fantastic time for him despite losing friends.

“He was 18, got to fly all these wonderful planes and described the RAF as paradise. He was gutting fish in a shop in Bolton before the war but was inspired to join up by Bolton Wanderers captain Harry Gosling because he was a huge Wanderers fan.”

Gosling once famously addressed the crowd at Burnden Park in April 1939, urging them to join up with the Bolton Evening News reporting queues of people outside the Territorial Army drill hall on Bradshawgate after the game.

After joining up, Flt Lt Wild became a night-fighter pilot, flying with 46 Squadron from Egypt and Cyprus between 1943 and 1944 before flying Mosquitos across Germany.

He flew fourteen different types of aircraft, before returning home to Bolton.

Elizabeth, 62, said: “Dad lived in Great Lever in 1946 on Brook Hey Avenue and in 1948 moved to live with the Bolton Wanderers footballer Billy Moir at 46 Lakeside Avenue. He played cricket for Farnworth CC with Billy and they became great friends.

“If anyone remembers seeing the car or maybe someone in the local area bought it or they remember their dad or granddad having it I’d love them to get in touch.”

Flt Lt Wild’s wartime memories were published in 2014 as Flying Blind: The Story of a Second World War Night Fighter Pilot and Elizabeth is now writing a further book based on her tour of the airfields he flew from.

“Finding his car is a long shot,” she added. “But if I did I think I’d cry. A fortnight before he dies I was trying to talk to him about old memories and he spoke about the car he had during the war.

“If I could find that dad’s car was still out there wouldn’t it be fantastic?”

If you can help Elizabeth, please get in touch on 07795 324575 or email: elizabethjhalls@gmail.com