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| Woman finds Enid Blyton letter in £1 book | Woman finds Enid Blyton letter in £1 book |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A woman has found a letter by popular children's author Enid Blyton in a book that cost £1. | A woman has found a letter by popular children's author Enid Blyton in a book that cost £1. |
| Jacqueline Ralph found the note in a copy of Silas Marner, by George Eliot, which she purchased in the Cinema Bookshop in Hay-on-Wye. | Jacqueline Ralph found the note in a copy of Silas Marner, by George Eliot, which she purchased in the Cinema Bookshop in Hay-on-Wye. |
| Ms Ralph, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, told the Hereford Times she was "amazed" by the find. | |
| Experts said the letter was probably a generic copy that was sent to the writer's fans. | Experts said the letter was probably a generic copy that was sent to the writer's fans. |
| The letter reads: "Dear Mary, my warm congratulations on winning one of my prizes. | The letter reads: "Dear Mary, my warm congratulations on winning one of my prizes. |
| "You did very well and you deserve a prize. I am very pleased to send it. Well done! Love from Enid Blyton." | "You did very well and you deserve a prize. I am very pleased to send it. Well done! Love from Enid Blyton." |
| Ms Ralph said she found the note attached to the inside cover of the book. | Ms Ralph said she found the note attached to the inside cover of the book. |
| "When I opened it up I couldn't believe what I saw," she said. | "When I opened it up I couldn't believe what I saw," she said. |
| "Enid Blyton's signature is so recognisable from growing up reading the Famous Five books." | "Enid Blyton's signature is so recognisable from growing up reading the Famous Five books." |
| Experts pointed out that the name of Mary, the recipient of the letter, appeared to be in a different ink and handwriting to the rest of the note. | Experts pointed out that the name of Mary, the recipient of the letter, appeared to be in a different ink and handwriting to the rest of the note. |
| Chris Albury, auctioneer and senior valuer at Dominic Winter Auctioneers, said: "The 'Mary' looks like it might be a bit smeared and I think that word is ink, but possibly not in Enid Blyton's hand. | Chris Albury, auctioneer and senior valuer at Dominic Winter Auctioneers, said: "The 'Mary' looks like it might be a bit smeared and I think that word is ink, but possibly not in Enid Blyton's hand. |
| "It has the 'smell' of a pre-printed facsimile with just the word 'Mary' inked in." | "It has the 'smell' of a pre-printed facsimile with just the word 'Mary' inked in." |
| Sarah Lawrance, collection and exhibitions director at Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books, said: "It looks as though the name of the recipient has been inserted by another hand. | Sarah Lawrance, collection and exhibitions director at Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books, said: "It looks as though the name of the recipient has been inserted by another hand. |
| "Enid probably dispatched so many prizes that she wrote the certificates in bulk and had some help with personalising them." | "Enid probably dispatched so many prizes that she wrote the certificates in bulk and had some help with personalising them." |