A message in a bottle has washed up on a UK beach, leaving tourists heartbroken as it was a woman’s attempt to fulfil her mother’s dying wish. Mum-of-five Wendy Chadwick from Oldham, Greater Manchester, died when she was just 51 years old due to an undiagnosed heart condition.
It had always been her dream to travel the world, and so her daughter Cara Melia decided to put her ashes in a bottle along with a sweet note which read: “This is my mum. Throw her back in – she’s travelling the world. Thanks. Cara, Oldham.” During a trip to Skegness, Cara put the bottle out to sea, but it returned to shore at nearby Ingoldmells Beach just 12 hours later when it was discovered on the same stretch of coastline by an emotional tourist. The finder posted the note on social media, where it went viral – but now the bottle has been returned to sea – and Cara hopes it will end up somewhere more exotic next time round.
Paying tribute to her “quirky” mum who loved the beach and the sun, the 24-year-old told BBC Radio Manchester: “Life happened and my mum never got a chance to travel. Nobody was meant to find her for a bit – she was meant to be in a completely different country.
“I’d love her to end up on a beach in Barbados or Spain, which would definitely take a while.”
Cara also revealed that she had initially planned to scatter her mother’s ashes on a beach somewhere – but her cousin and best friend came up with this alternative idea – and she hopes to find out where the bottle ends up next.
Reacting to the video on social media, one person said: “Beautiful, this made me cry.”
A second added: “This is such a nice idea.”
A third chimed in: “Wow amazing. “I teared up when I read this, hope the lady travels and travels bless her.”
A fourth said: “Absolutely beautiful. And absolutely heartbreaking. I hope people respect this. Enjoy your travels Wendy Chadwick – have the fun and adventures you clearly deserve.”