THE year was 1963 and it was a normal day in Hay on Wye.

Of course the entire country had only one thing on their mind – the robbery of the Royal Mail train heading from Glasgow to London that August.

It had since been dubbed the Great Train Robbery with police across the country on the hunt for the men who stole £2.6m.

It is believed 18 men had taken part in the greatest heist of all time, making off with £55m in today's money.

Pictures of suspected gangsters had since circulated across the country - including to the village of Hay on Wye.

However none could have expected five of the gangsters to be sat in the Three Tuns Inn - including ring leader Bruce Reynolds.

Landlady Lucy Powell would later speak of her experience having recognised a "thin faced" man as Reynolds who had produced a "huge wad of notes" to pay for drinks in the town's oldest pub.

After their drinks the men enjoyed some sight seeing around Hay before departing.

It was only then that Mrs Powell and some of her regulars breathed a sigh of relief and wondered aloud whether or nor the men had indeed been the most wanted men in British history.

A week later a TV report claimed that one of the wanted men had been reported at a local barbers and it is believed the gangsters had then made good their escape.

However the net was closing and over the next few months many were captured.

All expect the friendly "thin faced man" who bought the drinks at the Three Tuns with Reynolds, nicknamed Napoleon, evading capture until 1968.