Letter to Santa found after 120 years on display in Canterbury Published duration 13 December 2018

image caption The letter was found inside a book donated to a charity shop

A letter to Santa written by a Victorian schoolgirl has been discovered 120 years on.

In it five-year-old Marjorie from Eastbourne asks for toy ducks and chickens, a canvas stocking and a piece of ribbon and a ball for her cat, Kittykins.

The letter, dated 2 December 1898, was found hidden inside a book donated to a charity shop.

It is now being displayed at a toy shop in Canterbury.

Shop assistant Lily Birchall, whose father discovered the letter, told the BBC she wanted to trace Marjorie's family members and return the letter to them.

She said: "It's so innocent and it's what Christmas really should be about, small gifts and the real sense of magic and believing."

image caption Marjorie's letter is thought to have been sent from Eastbourne

image caption Five-year-old Marjorie wrote her letter to Father Christmas on 2 December 1898

However, aside from an address in Enys Road, Eastbourne, nothing else is known about Marjorie.

Ms Birchall added: "My dad did a little bit of a research and he tried to find the house, but it looks as though it's a completely different house to what was there.

"He assumed it was bombed in [the war], but it would be wonderful to find out."

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