Moray schoolgirl’s message in a bottle gets reply from Norway 31 years later

A Scottish schoolgirl’s message in a bottle has lastly obtained a reply greater than 30 years later – after being found in Norway.

Alaina Beresford, from Portknockie in Moray, despatched the message in 1994 when she was 12 as a part of a faculty mission.

It washed up throughout the North Sea the place it was discovered by a volunteer cleansing up a Norwegian island – who then dispatched a postcard to the delighted sender to let her know.

Alaina informed BBC Scotland Information she couldn’t imagine her unique letter was in such good situation after three many years.

Her handwritten letter had been despatched in an empty bottle of Moray Cup, a fizzy drink produced within the north east of Scotland.

It mentioned: “Expensive finder. My title is Alaina Stephen and I’m 12 years of age. I come from Portknockie and I’m doing a mission on water so I made a decision to ship a message in a bottle.

“My trainer’s husband took them and dropped them in the course of the ocean.

“If you discover this message, please write again along with your title, hobbies, the place you discovered the message, when, and should you might, a little bit details about your space. Yours sincerely, Alaina Stephen. PS I come from Scotland.”

Now, 31 years on, Alaina has obtained a postcard from Pia Brodtmann, telling her the excellent news, with photos of the discover.

It mentioned: “My title is Pia and I’m from Germany. Right now I discovered your message in a bottle on Lisshelløya, a tiny island round Vega in Norway.

“I’m right here for seashore cleansing as a volunteer for 4 months and at present we cleaned Lisshelløya. On the entrance of the postcard you possibly can see our workboat Nemo and our sailboat Fonn, the place we reside. It’s also possible to see the realm round Vega. I ponder when and the place your trainer’s husband threw your bottle within the ocean?”

It added: “PS I’m 27 years previous and I like mountaineering and crusing so much!”

Alaina, now 42, mentioned she was shocked when she picked up the submit and seen the postcard addressed to herself.

“I am on the similar handle,” she mentioned.

“I did reside in Buckie, and one other home in Portknockie for some time, however moved again in with my dad and mom.

“I could not imagine it, as I had despatched it after I was 12 years previous, 31 years in the past.”

Alaina was capable of finding Pia through social media, and messaged her asking to ship a photograph of her letter.

“I used to be shocked when she did, I could not imagine how legible it was,” she mentioned.

“I can not bear in mind really writing the message, however I do bear in mind it was a Moray Cup bottle, and that my trainer’s husband had dropped it into the ocean when he was a fisherman.

“In keeping with my message, I had achieved it as a part of a mission on water. It was after I was in P7.”

She added: “Pia and I’ve been conserving in contact and hopefully we’ll proceed to take action.”