HAVING kept the public guessing for the last 50 years as to his identity – the Black Country’s mystery beer mat artist has decided to boldly unveil images of his childhood self.

AJW, aka the Ghostwriter, has been baffling Black Country folk for more than five decades - by leaving anonymous calling cards, paying homage to 1950s opera star Mario Lanza, in pubs and shops across the region and beyond.

But now advancing in years – the persistent artist, who is 74, has decided to share some never before published family snap shots of himself as a youngster growing up in Dudley and Great Bridge.

The images taken at Dudley Zoo, on a trip to Blackpool and in his back yard in Great Bridge show the legendary Ghostwriter as a nine/ten-year-old in the early 1950s – some time before he became the elusive AJW, churning out a vast array of quirky calling cards depicting the legendary Mario Lanza.

Although he admits he always had a love of art.

“When we lived on The Priory I used to draw on the walls.” he joked.

It was in 1959 that he began what has become a life’s obsession – and, despite his failing arthritic knees, he still ventures out every Saturday on the train to deliver a pre-drawn stash of cards to keep punters and shoppers bemused.

“I still manage to get about with my stick. Last weekend I went to Liverpool and Manchester and I’ll be in Henley-in Arden this Saturday. I often travel from the station in Stourbridge.”

More often than not donning his trademark top hat with a peacock’s feather, the retired engineering worker cuts a distinctive figure. You may have seen him.

But he’s not ready to reveal his true identity just yet. Just ‘John’ will do for now.

Although he added: “If I can’t get out of the house in future, I might do.”