JRR Tolkien letter to young Hobbit fan sold at auction

Referencing the cold weather near Christopher's Lancashire home, Tolkien wrote that he must be "frozen stiff"

A letter which JRR Tolkien wrote to an eight-year-old reader more than 60 years ago has sold for £8,000 at auction.

The Hobbit author wrote to Christopher Howard at Christmas in 1961 at his home in Ormskirk, Lancashire.

Mr Howard, now 71, said he had written to Tolkien to say he enjoyed reading his "thrilling adventures".

In his reply, the author told him of more "rather frightening" adventures to come, in the Lord of the Rings series.

JRR Tolkien made a huge impact on fantasy writing with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

Mr Howard, who now lives in Wye, Kent, said he was a big fan of The Hobbit, which his mother would read to him and his younger brother.

"The magical effect of reading words that created pictures in my mind amazed me," he said.

"I needed to know if the author had written any more books full of such thrilling adventures, and therefore wrote a letter to him which mum sent to his publisher."

Christopher Howard received the letter at Christmas 1961 and showed it to his teachers and family

Tolkien, who is buried in Oxford, replied in a letter dated 28 December, 1961.

Referencing the cold weather near Christopher's home, Tolkien wrote that he must be "frozen stiff".

The letter said The Lord of the Rings books might be "very expensive" but they could always be found in a "very good" library.

Hertfordshire auctioneers, Hanson Ross, said the letter had a guide price of between £8,000 and £10,000 and was a "wonderful find".