BBC's Repair Shop praised for Tolkien letters work

A man who corresponded with JRR Tolkien as a schoolboy has praised the BBC's Repair Shop for restoring letters from the Lord of the Rings' author.

David Best, from Herefordshire, read Tolkien's books when he was 15 and was inspired to translate his poems into runes, an old alphabet.

The letters from the author were in disrepair before the Repair Shop experts got to work.

"I was completely astonished at the quality of their work," Mr Best said.

He received four letters from Tolkien at the time but said he was not surprised to get the responses.

"It seemed he was a teacher, I was a pupil. I think it seemed, in my naïve way, pretty OK for him to write back with some marks and comments," Mr Best said.

In his replies, the Hobbit author wrote in one case: "I had time to look. It seems very correct. I'm glad you used the genuine English runes."

Over the years, Mr Best compiled the letters with other writings and drawings into two notebooks but they were in need of some expert help.

Bookbinder Chris Shaw, on the Repair Shop, put them into a bound book and removed marks including ones left by sticky tape.

"The team are just as nice in real life as they come across in the programme," Mr Best said.

He added they appeared to be keen Tolkien fans and had him translating their names into runes and Elvish language.

"In fact one of the team declared he was going to have it done as a tattoo so I hope I didn't make any mistakes in writing his name."