Generous Keighley folk and members of the Bronte Society have exceeded expectations in supporting an appeal to bring home a 150-year-old letter written by Charlotte Bronte.

They have raised £6,000 - £1,000 more than the target - towards the £50,000 which needs to be raised before the end of June to buy the letter owned by an American family.

Since April, when the appeal was launched by Director of Haworth's Bronte Parsonage Museum, Mike Hill, 350 people have made donations, ranging from £5 to £1,000.

"I'm absolutely delighted with the response. It demonstrates the support of the local people which is a great asset in our bid for help from the heritage lottery,'' said Mr Hill.

"We have made contact with a number of other charitable organisations as a backstop but everything hinges on the lottery.

"I'm waiting in trepidation for news.''

He is seeking £30,000 and hopes also to get a grant from the London-based Museums and Galleries Commission.

Deadline for news from the lottery is Friday, June 4, and Mr Hill hopes to be making a positive announcement to Bronte Society members at the annual meeting the following day in Haworth.

"I believe we have done everything right to win the lottery money, especially by demonstrating how popular the appeal to buy the letter is locally. That is so important.''

The letter from Charlotte, pictured, written on March 5 1849, was originally priced at £85,000.

But Mr Hill managed to get £35,000 discount. It is not being sold at auction but has been offered to the Bronte Society.

It is one of the most moving letters written by the great author and expresses her feelings at the deaths of her brother Branwell and sister Emily and the onset of her other sister Anne's fatal illness.

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