Skip to content

Best friends send same Christmas card for 50 years

Alan Braithwaite and Chris Oakley have been friends for more than 60 years and have been exchanging the same Christmas card almost as long as they have known each other.

Bought in a charity shop in 1969, Chris, from Pershore, sent the card to his friend in nearby Kidderminster with a simple note urging him to return it by 1 December 1970.

Since then, it has been posted back and forth, each time with a new message attached.

They might be running out of space to write on the card, but do not plan to stop their tradition anytime soon.

Video journalist: Yusaf Akbar

24 December 2019

Explore More

People in high-vis jackets walk next to a car submerged in floods on the left of a split screen with a snowy road on the right

Atmospheric river dumps snow and record rain on California

Science & Environment

Phone footage of a skate surfacing out of grey waves to a rigid inflatable boat.ttack the side of a inflatable

Watch the moment a skate attacks a fisherman's boat off Shetland

NE, Orkney & Shetland

Smoke billows from house fire.

Video shows flames and thick smoke at house fire

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

Composite image of Sir Keir Starmer and BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, who is pictured wearing headphones and speaking into a purple microphone

Will there be a Birmingham pub bombings inquiry?

Birmingham & Black Country

A huge Christmas tree on a flatbed lorry in font of the US Capitol building

US Capitol Christmas tree arrives in DC

Blurred still image from video clips shows people being taken out of a car

Migrants asked to rate trip in smuggler review videos

John Darvall sat on the left of a composite image, in a purple studio with a microphone in front of him. On the right is Keir Starmer with grey hair and brown glasses.

PM challenged on West's councils facing bankruptcy

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett in front of a weather map of Scotland showing snow warnings.

Watch the Storm Bert weather forecast for Scotland

Mural of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke unveiled

Parts of West Burton A power station being demolished

Power station demolition captured by drone

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

A woman in a hospital gown grins on the left and a monitor lit up with lungs is on the right of a split screen.

Woman gets first double lung transplant done by robot

Ryan Borgwardt

US kayaker who faked own death thought to have fled to Europe

Ruth Dodsworth in the BBC studios in Cardiff. She is sitting on an orange sofa. She has cropped blonde hair and is wearing a fitted mauve top,

Stalking was part of my daily life, says presenter

A Christmas tree with lots of blue and green lights. A building nearby has yellow lights and a red bow so it looks like a present. You can see people stood in front of the building.

Manx capital sparkles at Christmas lights switch-on

A woman has her make up done in a Swansea salon for Beaujolais Day

'Beaujolais day is Swansea's Christmas'

A woman polished a large Gromit statue at the launch of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail in Bristol. The statue has a multicoloured sparkly pattern. The woman is wearing a red and white shirt and a black dress over the top and she has red hair cut in a bob style

Aardman unveils new Wallace and Gromit trail

Still where police is cuffing Parslow on the floor

Moment man who stabbed asylum seeker is arrested

Callum Ulysses Parslow has been found guilty of the attempted murder of an asylum seeker in a "protest" against small boat crossings.

Hereford & Worcester

Moment boy, 8, calls 999 after mum has allergic reaction

A recording is released of Ryan's 999 call made after his mum had a possible fatal allergic reaction.

Hereford & Worcester

Sue Cockroft and topper

'Amazing' reaction over Olympic postbox topper

Creator Sue Cockroft says the reaction to her design ahead of Friday's opening ceremony is "amazing".

Hereford & Worcester

Ryan standing in a red t-shirt and glasses, with his mum giving him a hug. The pair are also standing next to Ryan's dad, who is wearing a grey t-shirt and black trousers

Pudsey visits schoolboy who saved mum's life

Ryan calls 999 after seeing his mum going into shock when she took antibiotics.

Hereford & Worcester

Emma Peach

Chants for Watkins at The Three Lions bar

England fans come together at a Stourport venue that has hosted hundreds during Euro 2024.

Hereford & Worcester

Dogs in supermarket aisle

Bread-stealing labradors caught on shop CCTV

The mischievous duo are safely reunited with their owners after the chase.

Hereford & Worcester

Jackie Nash

Artist's hospice mosaic inspired by patients

Jackie Nash has also helped children develop artistic skills at Primrose Hospice in Bromsgrove.

Hereford & Worcester

Holly LeGresley getting into a car

Woman admits role in monkey torture network

Holly LeGresley, 37, was part of a group that paid people to kill and torture baby monkeys.

Hereford & Worcester

Matt Underwood making a wand

Creating Harry Potter wands makes woodturner a star

Matt Underwood says he "cannot believe" the impact his videos about making the wands is having.

Hereford & Worcester

Pancake race

Flipping fantastic choristers in pancake race

Choristers and the Dean of Worcester Cathedral don their cassocks for a pancake relay obstacle race.

Hereford & Worcester

Smile in the sky

Aerobatic pilot creates smile for hospice patient

The spectacle was enjoyed by aeroplane enthusiast Rich Goodwin and his family.

Hereford & Worcester

Alaina and Paul Scott

Grandparents' anger at safeguarding response

Alfie Steele's grandfather Paul Scott says there were missed opportunities to save him.

Hereford & Worcester

Baby white rhino

Baby rhino's first moments with mum

CCTV records the arrival of white rhino Malaika - meaning angel.

Hereford & Worcester

Resident Tom Oliver

The James Blunt museum that fits in a phone box

Mystery surrounds a pop-up tribute to the singer who has said entry is free to both his fans.

Hereford & Worcester

A man sitting in water that is up to his hips holding a pint of beer

Pub owner enjoys pint in waist-high flood water

The Rose and Crown pub says it has been pumping water for more than 30 hours.

Hereford & Worcester

Worcester floods

Drone captures flooding around Worcester

A second peak is predicted in north Worcester on Friday morning.

Hereford & Worcester

Flooding

Flooding on Worcester street after heavy rain

Storm Henk hits Hylton Road in the city where some car parks have closed.

Hereford & Worcester

Henry Sandon appraises the vase

Henry Sandon comes across rare Royal Worcester vase

Henry Sandon appraises a Royal Worcester vase in his final 2018 Antiques Roadshow appearance.

Hereford & Worcester

Katy with her dad

Girl, 15, who lost dad to cancer helped by charity

Katy has been receiving help from Herefordshire-based charity Hope Support Services.

Hereford & Worcester

Ewan performing as Freddie Mercury

Ewan's the champion as he marks cancer treatment end

Queen fan, 13, demonstrates the show must go on as he marks the end of three years of cancer treatment.

Hereford & Worcester