It contained his personal thoughts from 1965,

Fourth wife Sally Burton had lent the diary

the year after his Hollywood marriage to Elizabeth Taylor, and was being used by researchers making the Reputations series.

BBC bosses were horrified in June when they realised that the diaries, left in an unsealed box in a locked cupboard at the organisation's offices in White City in west London, had gone missing.

Detectives were called in to investigate the disappearance but could find no trace.

Mrs Burton was described as being "extremely upset" at the loss and had been in discussions with the BBC about receiving compensation.

However, a package arrived at the programme's offices on Monday which contained the missing diary.

It is believed that the envelope, simply marked Reputations, was handed in at one of the many BBC receptions and then delivered via internal mail.

Burton married Taylor twice

BBC chiefs are reported to be geatly relieved at the diary's return.

A spokesman for the BBC said: "Obviously this is a great relief for us it was a matter of real regret when they went missing and we are delighted to have them back."

The Reputations programme used excerpts from the diary which revealed how Burton felt the strain of being one of the biggest names in Hollywood, and even began to despise acting.

Burton - widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation - was born in 1925 in the south Wales Valleys mining village of Pontrhydyfen.

His real name was Richard Walter Jenkins and he took his professional name from his old school teacher Philip Burton, who had a great influence on his life.

His personal life - which included twice marrying Elizabeth Taylor - was almost as celebrated as his stage and screen roles.

He died in 1984 at the age of 58 in Geneva, Switzerland.