LITTLE Jamie Mower got a surprise after putting a message in a bottle and throwing it into the water at Shotley Marina.The four-year-old's note travelled all the way to Holland – and a message arrived from a group of women who had picked it up on the beach.

By Judy Rimmer

LITTLE Jamie Mower got a surprise after putting a message in a bottle and throwing it into the water at Shotley Marina.

The four-year-old's note travelled all the way to Holland – and a message arrived from a group of women who had picked it up on the beach.

Jamie's six-year-old sister, Jessica, also put a note in a bottle but hasn't heard anything back so far.

The youngsters live at Great Harlings, Shotley Gate with mum and dad Jeremy and Justina , and visit their grandparents Michael and Patricia Mower at nearby East View Terrace every week for tea.

"My wife and I usually take them over to the marina, and we decided it would be a good idea to write a letter for each of them, put it in a bottle, and see where it got to," said Mr Mower, 64.

"We threw the bottles in at a strong ebb tide back in October and waited to see if anybody would find them."

Much to the whole family's surprise, Jamie has just received a letter from a group of women who found the letter on a Dutch beach.

"It was quite exciting when a letter arrived all the way from Holland," said his mum, Justina, 29.

The letter read: "From the finder of your bottle. We have found your bottle on 16.12.2001 at Texel which is an island in the Netherlands. We were there on holiday and during a walk on the beach we have found your bottle."

The finders were Bertha Jamgkok, who lives at Spakenburg, a small town about 40 miles from Amsterdam, and her three friends Hetty, Gerrit and Mennie.

In their letter, they enclosed a picture postcard showing traditional Dutch costume, and they wished Jamie a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Holland.