Agatha Christie as a young woman in new exhibition

Christie published her first novel in 1921

A new exhibition showing previously unseen photographs of British writer Agatha Christie is to open in London.

The event, at the Bankside Gallery in London, marks the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Queen of Crime.

The images will each be accompanied by a Christie quote, drawn from her published works and unpublished personal correspondence.

A portrait by painter Oscar Kokoschka, painted in 1969 for Christie's 80th birthday, will also be displayed.

Christie's grandson, Mathew Prichard, who is chairman of Agatha Christie Ltd, said: "These wonderful photographs form a key part of the [Agatha Christie] Archive and it is very moving to see them presented so beautifully for everyone to enjoy.

"I cannot think of a more fitting way to celebrate my grandmother's life in this 125th anniversary year."

Christie died in 1976 aged 86

Over the course of her literary career, she wrote more than 60 crime novels and is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling novelist of all time.

Her novels have sold roughly two billion copies and she is still the world's most-translated individual author - having been translated into at least 103 languages.

Her debut novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, was published in the UK on 21 January 1921 and introduced Belgian detective Hercule Poirot to the world.

A timeline will sit alongside the pictures marking key events in Christie's life, including the first performance of the world's longest-running play, The Mousetrap, and the publication of works such as Murder on the Orient Express.

Agatha Christie: Unfinished Portrait runs from 26 August - 6 September.