LETTERS of love sent by a Cwmbran mother to her dead son travelled 1,300 miles in a glass bottle before being found by oil spill workers in Mississippi.

Sarah Adams, 42, wrote a heartfelt letter to her 21-year-old son, Private James Prosser, who was the fourth Gwent soldier to die in Afghanistan.

Pte Prosser died on September 27 last year while driving his Warrior vehicle during a vehicle patrol in the Musa Qaleh district of Helmand Province.

Mrs Adams, 43, travelled to Barbados at Christmas with her family to get away from things.

She explained how James had won a competition in 2004 for her to go to Barbados and so they decided to go back to the same resort because they could not face a traditional Christmas.

Mrs Adams, her daughter Emma Prosser, 25, son Josh Newman, 16, and Emma’s boyfriend Tom Betts, each wrote a heartfelt letter to James which they placed in a sambucca bottle, James' favourite drink.

Mrs Adams said she wrote how much she missed him and also wrote an open letter to whoever found the bottle.

She said: “I wanted to make everyone aware that we’re responsible for the world we live in, not to forget the soldiers who have given up their lives and to be aware that we are a country at war.”

She also wrote a letter to her late dad, Tony Cartwright, asking him to keep her son safe.

In his letter to Pte Prosser, Mr Betts said he was going to propose to Miss Prosser that night and the couple are now planning to marry next year.

The family placed the bottle in the sea on January 5 this year, while out on a boat trip.

Seven months later and the bottle was found - around 1,300 miles from where it started.

The bottle was found by team from Progressive Pipe Management on July 15, who were working on Horn Island, Mississippi cleaning up oil leaking from a BP pipeline off the coast of Louisiana following the explosion in April.

Patty Kraft, who works for the National Park Service in America, tried to track Mrs Adams down but could not make out the full address on the letter and so contacted the Argus.

Each member of the team took one of the letters and took it in turns to read them.

Ms Kraft, 45, said the letters were dry and in good condition.

She said: “He was so young, it could be any of our brothers or neighbours. It was so heartfelt. We were just sad for the family and what they were going through but at the same time we were excited to be part of it.

“When we read it we wanted to respond, it was like she was reaching out to someone. Even though we’re far away we wanted to say there are people in the world that care.”

Ms Kraft has a son close to the age of Pte Prosser who she said wanted to join the forces.

She said her son, 24-year-old John Macdonald, tried to sign up several times but was turned down after fracturing his knee.

Crew supervisor Doug Kirchoff, 38, said: “It’s taken everybody by heart. It’s amazing how we’re thousands of miles away but how we’re drawn so close by something we’re all affected by. It’s pretty touching, it’s like we actually know the family just by reading the letters.”

Mr Kirchoff and Ms Kraft want to send Mrs Adams a T-shirt, signed by all members of the crew with well wishes.

Mrs Adams was amazed the bottle had been found and said she had forgotten about it and the bottle could have easily been smashed.

“It’s extraordinary where it is and the timing of it with everything in the paper. I’m amazed by it,” she said.

“Sometimes I feel disheartened and miserable about life but there are people there and people who we’ve met who are so caring and thoughtful.”

Mrs Adams said this was also a nice surprise in time for her birthday on Sunday which she said is going to be hard without James.

We'll never forget bottle find

The six people who found the bottle sent Mrs Adams and her family a letter about what they call an “unforgettable experience” in finding the bottle which they said has touched the lives of many in Mississippi.

They write: “Words cannot express our heartfelt sympathy for your family over the loss of James.

“Your letters describe a remarkable young man who was very loved by his family and friends. We extend our gratitude to James for the service he did in Afghanistan and we recognise the courage, the strength and the bravery it requires to serve in the armed forces. You and he are in our thoughts as we all continue to pray for the safe return of our soldiers worldwide.”

“As we are certain he did before his death, James has continued to touch the lives of many people in a positive way. Finding that bottle is something we will never forget.”

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Heart-warming tale

WHAT an incredible tale we tell today of the bottle containing messages to a dead soldier which travelled 1,300 miles at sea.

Sarah Adams had written a heartfelt letter to her son, Private James Prosser, who was the fourth Gwent soldier to die in Afghanistan.

It was put in a bottle along with others from members of the family and dropped off the coast of Barbados.

It was found by workers trying to clean up the BP oil spill in Mississippi who were eventually able to track down Mrs Adams after reading about Private Prosser on the South Wales Argus website.

It’s a heart-warming tale and one which has seen two groups of people become friends through a completely random act.

Telling Private Prosser’s story to the oil workers, some of whom had served in the American military, must also come as some comfort to the family.

Even though they are thousands of miles apart, the story has captured the hearts and minds of the workers and this unusual occurrence will live with them for a long time.