Norway message in a bottle find sparks family appeal

[Jazzy]

A Norwegian family is trying to trace a British woman who placed a message in a bottle in 1996.

The note written by the then 12-year-old Loretta Brooks from London was washed up off Rjaneset in April last year and found by a sister and brother.

Mia and Martin Rodal, now aged 10 and eight, spotted it while on a walk with their parents but their own postal response did not elicit a reply.

Despite turning to social media, they have been unable to locate Loretta.

"Finding a letter in a bottle is a kids' dream. It is like finding a secret treasure," said Mia and Martin's father Gunnar.

"The kids talked about treasure hunting by the sea, and finding a message that had drifted across the North Sea for 16 years was an exciting experience.

"But we have tried all options we could think of to find Loretta."

It is not known where the bottle containing the letter, dated 14 July 1996, started its journey but it could have potentially travelled more than 800 miles (1,300km) from the UK to Norway.

In the brief letter, Loretta described herself as a "girl from England".

"I don't know who you are but anyway... What is your name? Send me a letter," she wrote.

Mr Rodal said: "Mia was fascinated by the thought of a 12-year-old girl that she maybe could be friends with. It took a little bit of time to understand that she would not be 12 anymore."

But Loretta did not give her full address on the letter, only including what appears to be an incomplete postcode.

She wrote her address as either London E 436, or London E 43G, England, suggesting she lived in the east of the capital.

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Shame they can't find Loretta.

Have you ever sent a message in a bottle?

 

[Krihol]

I have done it once with a couple of friends.

Finding a bottle with a message would be awesome tho!

 

[Bjornar]

Hmm.. I'm getting ideas!!

 

[Nebulous]

I never have, and but I think it would be cool to do, maybe 40 years later someone finds it and tracks you down to talk about it.