Lost photographs of Jane Austen's nieces and nephews have been discovered in an old photo album, which reveals their lives - which could have come out of one of the author's own novels.

A leading historian has said the works of the writer foreshadowed the chequered love lives of her family members.

Karen Levers, 51, bought the book of Victorian photographs for $1,000 (£780) from eBay, expecting it to be full of pictures of 19th century aristocrats.

However, she found the book is full of previously unseen photos of Austen's nieces and nephews - many of whose lives reflected the writer's novels.

It was put together by Lord George Augusta Hill, an aristocrat who married two of Austen's nieces, both daughters of her older brother Edward.