Conan Doyle’s floral token of love for sale

A snowdrop picked 99 years ago by Arthur Conan Doyle is expected to sell for £500 today.

Every spring, the creator of Sherlock Holmes handed wife Jean the first one he found in their garden – and she kept them all.

The tradition was revealed by their son Adrian, who wrote: “Here are the heartbeats of love.” His letter and the snowdrop will be sold with a note from the writer’s wife in Nottingham.