Secret diary of the original Bridget Jones

She juggles boyfriends, parties and crash diets and is every bit as neurotic as the famous movie character. Meet the original Bridget Jones - from the Roaring Twenties.

A 'secret diary' detailing the hectic life of a 17-year-old named Ilene Powell has been unearthed in a charity shop.

Though it is written in a more innocent age - when 'making love' referred to kissing at most - it seems Illene had a fun time.

One excerpt reads: 'Saturday 7 February, 1925: Danced with all the lads as usual. Had a good time, six people asked to take me home. There was a fight and Mrs Morgan fainted. Ticked off JG for making love to me on the roof garden.'And, just like the 21st century Bridget, Ilene fights a constant battle with her weight - despite being just 8st (50kg).

In true Bridget style she wrote: 'Wednesday 14 January: I now have lemon juice in hot water with no sugar instead of tea, also a VERY small breakfast-of dry toast. If this doesn't get my fat down, I'll give up dieting.'

The leather diary was spotted in a bag of books handed in to an Oxfam shop in Bristol.

On the inside cover it lists her vital statistics, just like Bridget: 'Glove size (6), boot size (3), hat size (6 5/8) weight (8st) and height (5ft 3in).'

She also describes a pillow fight with a young gent and hiding in bathrooms to listen to boys talking.

Ilene was a part-time dance teacher and lived a comfortable middle-class life near Knowle, Bristol. She was popular with the boys but there seems to be only one man in her life, Bill, who she constantly refers to.

The diary is on show at the Bristol Record Office.