Message in a bottle school kids sent souvenirs by Scottish beach cleaner who found it

Schoolchildren who sent a message in a bottle into the sea were thrilled when it washed up on a beach in Scotland – and they were tracked down and sent treats.

Anne Smillie, 68, discovered three notes inside a glass jar while picking up litter along the beach in Barassie, South Ayrshire on August 16.

The letters were each written by Gary McKee, 13, sister Mya, 11, and their half-sister Lilly Hughes, eight, who were visiting Cushendun, Co Antrim on their holidays.

The jar had floated 63 miles eastwards across the sea.

Mum-of-two Anne managed to reach out to the kids’ family and has sent out a selection of Troon gifts, including a starfish printed bag, an RNLI Troon teddy bear, pens and Troon postcards.

Anne said: “I was on the verge of chucking it in the bag but I noticed there were three bits of paper crumpled up inside it so I decided to keep it until I got home then have a look inside.

“I was so surprised to see it was messages and from reading them I could see they were writing from Cushendun.

“I think they’d been on a caravan holiday there. I had a feeling that the tide would be liable to bring something to our neck of the woods.

“It was lovely to see that children had the imagination to do something like that, especially in these days of smartphones and gadgets.

“I thought the best thing would be to try and find out who they are.

“In the case of Mya it was so nice to see she had put what her favourite colour is and that her favourite food is chocolate.”

The former council worker, from Barassie, South Ayrshire, regularly cleans the beaches.

She was determined to track down the children who had sent the messages.

Anne nearly dumped the jar and was amazed to find the children’s handwritten messages.

She instantly recognised Cushendun, on the Causeway coast, after visiting the area a few years ago during a cycling holiday.

Anne contacted the news website Causeway Coast Community who were able to track down the family.

She filled up a parcel full of souvenirs and posted it over to the children.

Anne said: “I tried a number of Facebook groups with no joy.

“The Causeway Coast helped it find them in an hour.

“As a beach cleaner I wouldn’t encourage them throwing anything in the sea.

“I sent them some gifts and information about Troon.

“I took the more traditional route of Royal Mail.”

Lorna Hughes, the children’s aunt, said they were all ‘ecstatic’ to see that their message in a bottle had travelled so far.

She said: “They were absolutely ecstatic when it showed up in Scotland, they couldn’t believe that someone had found it.

“I showed them where Troon was on the map then Anne got in touch.

“It’s been amazing for them.

“They were so excited when the souvenirs from Troon arrived, they loved it.”