Search is on for Barry Island seaside souvenirs of yesteryear. Can you help?

Bobby Kenny, of Barry, is on the look-out for Barry and Barry Island items from his hometown – a hobby that stemmed from a postcard he found in Llandudno, North Wales, when he was attending a scooter rally weekend last year with his partner Liz.

Mr Kenny said: “We had a walk around the town a seen a little flea market.

“Liz found a postcard from Barry Island with old pictures inside it.

“So that was the start of the collection I've got today."

“At first, I started buying postcards on eBay, but then I see old souvenirs from Barry Island and the Butlins holiday camp - so I started buying them too plus anything to do with Barry.”

“When I saw that a number of councillors were trying to get a museum in Barry that made me think about how nice it would be to have old postcards and souvenirs of Barry on show in a museum,” he said.

“The blue milk jug and bowl I bought on eBay came from Texas. USA."

“I wrote to the person and asked how they had them and they said that their mother was from Wales, but moved to America in 1945 with their father who served in the USA army in the First World War.”

Mr Kenny added: “I would like to thank those people who have donated items to my collection.

“It is very much appreciated.”

Anyone with items of old or “newish” interest to do with Barry, who would like to sell, can by email Robertkenny1@live.com or Facebook message Bobby Kenny.

A souvenir - from French, meaning "a remembrance or memory" is a memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it.

Souvenirs are part of the tourism industry – boosting the local economy and allowing visitors to take with them a memento of their visit.

The marketing aim is to encourage visits.

In Japan, souvenirs are known as omiyage (お土産).

Bringing back omiyage from trips to co-workers and families is a social obligation and can be considered a form of apology for the traveller's absence.