A LETTER written by a Titanic passenger which was used as a bookmark for years was sold at auction yesterday for £13,000.

The A4 page was sold still in its envelope, bearing a penny stamp and postmarked only three days before the liner struck an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage in 1912.

Its true worth only came to light when Christian Duff - who used it as a bookmark - made a chance remark to a valuer.

It was sent to her father by first-class passenger Alice Lenox-Conyngham and was part of the last consignment of mail sent out from the liner before it set out from Ireland to the Atlantic.

The letter attracted telephone bids from as far away as New York, but was bought for double its estimate by Louis Fitzgerald, who owns a museum pub in Dublin.

The sale took place at Tennants of Leyburn in North Yorkshire.

Miss Lenox-Conyngham, from Co Down, sailed on the first leg of the voyage from Southampton to Cherbourg with three relatives.

She began the letter by writing: "'I am told this is the Titanic's maiden voyage so I think I must use some of its paper,'' before disclosing how the reputedly unsinkable ship had narrowly avoided a collision even before it left Southampton.

"There was nearly an accident just as we started, but we did not know till it was nearly over."

She also described the Titanic as a "vast place - five decks, immense drawing rooms, dining rooms and swimming baths and gymnasium - and a band playing.'

Among the lots at next month's Titanic auction at the Hilton Hotel, Chilworth, is an archive, including a White Star Line staff badge, a steward's leather memo pad case, a pocket watch and a postcard, which could raise up to £50,000.

More than 1,500 people died when the liner struck the iceberg in the Atlantic four days after leaving Southampton on her maiden voyage.

- Originally published February 2004.