Birthday Surprise

Among greetings received by Ann Pickard, of 59 High Street, Bideford, on her 15th birthday was a letter that was both a surprise and a reminder.

Enclosed in the envelope was a square of cardboard. Then she remembered that a few months ago she was playing with her young brother on the river near Monkleigh when, for his amusement, she wrote her name and birthdate on a piece of cardboard, adding a joking 'Ha, ha' and put it in a bottle, intending that her brother on the other side should get it and open it.

The bottle never reached the other side, and was forgotten until a letter arrived on Ann's 15th birthday, intimating that it had been found by 21 years old K Staddon, of Holly Farm, Monkleigh, who also added a joking 'Ha, ha'.

Gazette article dated 14 November 1958