An American ‘Love Letter’ posted in 1958 to arrive in 2011

A love letter to an American college student from the girlfriend who was to become his wife is at last on its way to him - 53 years after it was written in 1958.

The letter surfaced in a Pennsylvanian university mailroom previous this month.

It was named to Clark C Moore, who has since altered his name to Muhammad Siddeeq, making it tough to locate him.

But a friend saw a TV report about it and called the sorting office. Mr. Siddeeq, 74, says he is still keen to read it, in spite of now being divorced.

The letter strangely arrived at the California University of Pennsylvania, in the north-eastern state of Pennsylvania, 10 days before.

He said if he didn't received that package within the next 53 years, he would identify to complain”

Written to Mr. Moore, the two-page letter was postmarked 20 February 1958 and signed "love forever Vonnie".

Mr. Siddeeq, a retired teacher who is now residing in the mid-western city of Indianapolis, said he was upset when he was called by the university.

"We have a proper system here in the US where if something is for you and if they find it, it obtains to you, that's beautiful," he told US TV station WTAE.

He and his girlfriend wrote to each other when he was studying science, he said.

They did finally marry and have four children.

Romance was dissimilar then - with no computers, letter writing was the only way to stay in touch and remains more romantic than emails, he said.

He acknowledged to having mixed feelings about the letter as he and Vonnie are now divorced.

But he told Washington's Observer-Reporter paper that he was enthusiastic to read it as it was "a proof of the sincerity, interest and purity of that time".

University authorities said the letter was now on its way to him along with a T-shirt from the university.

"He said if he didn't receive that package within the next 53 years, he would describe to complain," university spokeswoman Christine Kindl told Reuters news agency.