A CHAIN letter asking for business cards to be sent to a dying child should be ignored, says the Post Office.

The letter, currently circulating in East Lancashire, says seven-year-old Gary Richards, of Carshalton, Surrey, has terminal cancer.

His ambition is to be included in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest collection of business cards. But a spokesman for the Royal Mail sorting office in Wallington, Surrey, which handles the letters, said: "Please do not encourage it."

The spokesman said the scheme started around 10 years ago when an ill boy called Craig Shergold appealed on television for people to send him get well cards.

Craig is now fully recovered and no longer wants cards but the scheme has continued, with several name changes over the years. The address on the chain letter is the headquarters of a legitimate charity set up in Craig Shergold's name.

The spokesman said: "We have thousands of letters a week for Gary Richards or Craig Shergold from all around the world. "It is a nuisance, although it is good for Royal Mail because all the letters have stamps on.

"We don't know what whoever started this is getting from it but my concern is that it is being fronted with this story about a sick child who doesn't exist.

"We get letters which are obviously addressed by children.

"They are probably sending money or gifts to this non-existent boy."

All letters bearing the address in Carshalton are opened by volunteers enlisted by Craig Shergold's family and any money donated to charity.

Business cards and get well cards are sent to paper pulpers.

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