Police are issuing advice to recipients of a Chain Letter, purporting to be connected with a record attempt for the Guiness Book of Records, to be careful about supplying personal information which may be accessed by strangers.

The letter, which is sent specifically to young people under the age of 16 years, asks for the recipient to put the names and addresses of five friends on the outside of the envelope, which they should mark "Guiness Book of Records" and post it to seven new people.

The letter claims that they are attempting to get in to the Guiness Book of Records for being the longest chain letter in existence.

It also states that the Post Office is monitoring the letter to see if anyone breaks the chain.

Detective Sergeant Sean Pyne of the Child Protection Unit with Warwickshire Police has urged caution about providing personal infomration of this nature, advising that all Chain Letters should be viewed with extreme caution and any child receiving one should discuss it with either their parents or guardian or with a teacher.

He gave the following guidance, "All children should be very careful about supplying their personal details either on a letter such as a Chain Letter or on the Internet, where strangers could get access to these details.

"If any young person has fallen victim to this Chain Letter then they should be very watchful about any unsolicited mail arriving for them and they should bring it to the attention of their parents or guardians."

And added, "This Chain Letter itself is not endorsed by the Guiness World of Records and is not being monitored by the Post Office."

ENDS