Florence Widdicombe at home with the card in which she found a message pleading for help

When Florence Widdicombe opened a box of Tesco charity Christmas cards to send them to her friends, the six-year-old schoolgirl from Tooting, south London, was startled to find that one of them had already been used. The card, featuring a kitten in a Santa hat, contained a despairing message from a Chinese gulag.

“We are foreign prisoners in Shanghai Qingpu prison China,” the message read in capital letters. “Forced to work against our will. Please help us and notify human rights organisation.” Florence had accidentally stumbled on a chilling link between British Christmas fun and Chinese human rights abuse.

The prisoners’ message, with handwriting changed to protect their identities

The Christmas cry for help from a Shanghai prison has turned an embarrassing spotlight on Tesco’s relationship with its Chinese suppliers and their use of forced