Leeds great grandma, aged 89, receives hundreds of Christmas cards from across the world after hospital visit

The cards have come as a response to granddaughter Jenny Leamey's Facebook plea to make her grandma's Christmas extra special with some extra cards after being in hospital for a hip operation.

The plea was a success and Margaret Pattison, aged 89, has now received hundreds of cards from all over the world including New York, Australia, Singapore and Bangkok.

Jenny said: "My nana has received hundreds of cards already with so many more people saying they have posted one over the weekend.

"She's absolutely loving reading all of them, there's been such an amazing response."

The influx of cards began after great grandmother of 15, Margaret, went into hospital for her operation and Jenny was worried she would never come out.

Fortunately she did, and much to her excitement she arrived to her home in Halton, Leeds to a Christmas card from the people’s postcode lottery.

Margaret told Jenny how “giddy” the card had made her and expressed her distress that each year the amount of Christmas cards she receives is depleting.

So, mother-of-one Jenny put out a Facebook plea to get her nana some Christmas cards.

Jenny said: “I have literally had hundreds of people tell me they’re sending my nana a card, and not just from people in Leeds.

“People from New York, Australia, Singapore and Bangkok have said a card is on its way and when I told my nana she was so happy she cried.”

Jenny’s mum passed away when she was younger and her grandma Margaret and grandad brought her and her siblings up.

Jenny added: “I would have been in care if it wasn’t for my nana and when she wasn’t able to have visitors in hospital I wanted to do something nice for her.

“I was going to surprise her with all the cards but when the gifts started arriving I had to explain to her and she was just so happy that she would be able to cover her walls in cards again.

“She doesn’t understand why she’s special though and can’t get her head around why people are being so nice to her.”

Jenny recently moved back in with her grandparents to look after her nana after her operation.

Grandmother-of-seven, Margaret is recovering well from her operation although she has been "really bored" due to losing some of her mobility and not being able to do her usual washing up and cleaning activities.

Margaret has also received some gifts in the post including chocolates, hand cream and a mug.

Jenny added: “The generosity and cards are an amazing thing to come from her hip operation because I was genuinely worried that she wasn’t going to come out of hospital.

“She deserves it, she’s a good one.”

Margaret will turn 90 in January.