BUSINESSES in Oxfordshire are being warned not to let their heartstrings be tugged by a mystery chain letter about a dying child, writes Chris Koenig.

The letters ask firms to send compliments slips to a seven-year-old boy in Carshalton, Surrey, who they say is dying of cancer.

The letters say that the terminally-ill boy, called Craig John, is trying to collect the largest collection of compliments slips in the world in order to gain a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Kevin Joynson, director of office products company JBL Distribution Centre, of Boars Hill, said: "We receive chain letters from customers several times a month, requesting us to send a comps slip to the seriously-ill young boy."

But Mr Joynson says that he always tells clients to ignore such letters and suggests that they ask others to do the same.

He is acting on the advice of the Oxfordshire Association of Young People, which has written to warn people not to act on the letter.

The association says nobody with the surname John lives at the address, and the business registered at the address is ex-directory.

The chain letter asks companies to send a slip to Craig and then forward the letter to ten other businesses. It says that Craig has terminal cancer and adds: "Obviously time is of the utmost importance."

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