A collection of telegrams sent by Hollywood stars including Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Roger Moore and Bette Davis to mark the opening of a Doncaster cinema in 1967 is being auctioned in North Lincolnshire. The messages were discovered by Lesley Hyton while clearing her late parents' house; her father, Len Key, managed the ABC Doncaster and had kept them safe for decades. The find offers a charming glimpse into the glamour once attached to cinema openings and has drawn interest for its rarity.

The telegrams were sent for the ABC Doncaster's gala opening on 18 May 1967, which featured a screening of Doctor Zhivago and was attended by ABC and MGM directors. Other stars represented include Raquel Welch, Diana Rigg, Patrick Macnee and Robert Vaughn, with well-wishes such as Roger Moore's hope for "standing room only" and Bette Davis noting she was filming her 78th film. The collection, which also includes newspaper cuttings, goes under the hammer on Thursday at Potters Auction Saleroom in Messingham.