Megan Wallace explores the Barnsley Chronicle archives from the year 2000.

A BOTTLE containing a message written by little Jessica Major has turned up more than 600 miles away.

It was thrown into the sea off Northumberland while the family were on holiday last August.

Jessica, seven, got the shock of her life when she discovered it had been found by a boy in Denmark.

Mikkel Nissen, 11, who lives in Skagen on the northern tip of Denmark, told her in a letter he had found the bottle and her name and address while walking about two weeks ago.

“I’ve sent a couple of messages in bottles myself but have never had a reply,” Mikkel wrote.

Jessica, of Cranston Close, Monk Bretton, said her dad, Brian, 39, a site manager for a building company, urged her to put the message in the bottle just for a bit of fun.

He threw the bottle into the North Sea.

LONDON’S stray dogs are being shipped north because it is impossible to find new homes for them in the capital.

One of the first to arrive in Barnsley is a two-year-old border collie called Connor who has spent most of his life in the famous Battersea Dogs Home.

He was found wandering the streets as a four-month-old puppy and his temporary carers say he had never seen grass or open space before coming to Barnsley.

He is now being looked after by Carol Rovers, who runs kennels in Pond Common Lane, Oxspring.

A PAIR of Barnsley lads attempting to break the world record for the longest taxi ride have been given a jump-start by the council.

The licensing department has given Jeremy Levine and James Burke the nod to use official Barnsley licence plates and drivers’ licences for their charity round-the-world-trip.

Jeremy, of Park Street, Wombwell, and James from Houghton Road, Thurnscoe, will set off on the trip on June 16 from Buckingham Palace to raise money for sight charity Orbis.

A WOOLLEY woman has turned a part-time hobby into a full-time business.

Anna Robinson has launched Vitalis Health, which distributes health foods and is a nutrition consultancy service.

She decided to develop her interest in the use of diet and nutrition supplements to treat ailments and to maximise health after realising how hard it was to get the best advice on vitamins and other supplements.

The company, which is at Mount Osboure Business Centre, employs two nutritional therapists and two administrative staff and offers bespoke advice to people wanting to improve their diet and well-being.

Anna selects supplement for her clients from the best in the market and is having a range made for her by a couple of manufacturers.