Claims that a newly-restored sports car may be Ian Fleming’s inspiration for the original James Bond Aston Martin, has excited interest among Mercury readers – possibly proving the link even more.

Michael Fowles, of Jubilee Court, Oscar Road, Broadstairs, wrote to us after we broke the story two weeks ago.

He said he is certain he saw the same car when he was a boy. And his description of two unusual cars together could prove the Aston’s owner and Sir Ian Fleming knew each other, and the car became Fleming’s inspiration for James Bond’s Aston Martin.

Mr Fowles said: “My first job was working with Graham Warner who later owned the Chequered Flag Garage where I met Colin Chapman.

“But during the summer in the fifties my family and I used to come to Ramsgate to stay with friends.

“I had a temporary job as a cleaner with a local taxi firm which hired out limousines.

“As a teenager I was car mad and knew all the latest models. I remember a lovely gentleman known as Bunny visiting the yard a few times who gave me half a crown tip just for cleaning his windscreen.”

Mr Fowles had to deliver an Austin Princess to Bunny’s pub in St Margaret’s.

And when he arrived, he saw what he believed to be Philip Cunliffe-Lister’s Aston Martin. But what is more, the car next to it could have been Fleming’s.

“When we arrived there was a small crowd looking at a brand new Aston Martin DB2.

“It’s the sort of thing a lad always remembers"- Michael Fowles

“In those days new cars were a rare thing and to me, it would be the same as a teenager today seeing a Bugatti Veyron parked in a village pub.

“It’s the sort of thing a lad always remembers. Not only that, parked next to it was a two-tone Armstrong Siddley Sapphire, also brand new.

“I often wondered if someone was making a film.

“However, the landlord soon whisked us off round the back of the pub and sadly the cars had gone when we returned.

“I am puzzled though, as purely by coincidence, it must be the car in your article because they were so very rare.

“But the one I saw was dark red with a grey roof so maybe it was a different one.

“Or could there have been two of them?”

When the Mercury passed the content of Mr Fowles’ letter to the Aston's owner, whose identity we are protecting, his response was positive.

He confirmed: “When built, the car was burgundy with a silver roof and Fleming had an Armstrong Siddley (the car Mr Fowles saw with the Aston outside the pub).

"That is a lovely letter and can you thank the gentleman for me and let him know this is the car he saw as a young man,” he added.