Reel-to-reel tape recordings made 40 years ago by crime novelist Agatha Christie and only recently rediscovered may give details about her life in Wallingford with her husband, Max Mallowan.

The couple lived at Winterbrook, which is within Wallingford but technically in Cholsey, because of the parish boundaries, so the couple are buried in Cholsey churchyard.

The 27 reels of tape, containing 13 hours of her memories, were discovered in a box by Dame Agatha's grandson Mathew Prichard.

Now they are being converted to modern digital format and the Christie Archive Trust will decide what should be done with them.

Trust spokesman Andrew Sholl said: "No-one has yet heard them all through, so we don't know quite what they contain.

But they're sure to give detailed accounts of her life in various parts of the country, including Wallingford."

Tapes which have been listened to so far contain material for the final third of the author's autobiography and are completely unedited. Mr Prichard said: "The one thing you can always credit Agatha Christie with is an unending capacity to surprise.

"These tapes have lain dormant for more than 40 years and I have no doubt would have remained so if I hadn't decided to do a bit of spring cleaning.

I'm thrilled by the discovery and overjoyed to be able to hear my grandmother's voice again."

Dame Agatha died in January 1976, aged 85.