District residents are being urged to rummage through their attics for lost Bronte treasures.

Curators at the Bronte Parsonage Museum believe pieces of manuscripts, letters and belongings might be hidden in residents’ houses.

They want people to search their homes as a way of celebrating Charlotte Bronte’s 198th birthday.

The Bronte Society, which runs the museum in Haworth, regularly bids for Bronte treasures when they come up for auction. And Ann Dinsdale, the museum’s collections manager, said there were many letters and manuscripts waiting to be discovered.

She said although there were unlikely to be any undiscovered novels, there could still be unknown books written by the Bronte siblings as children.

Sue Newby, the museum’s education officer, said it is likely some people had Bronte items in their private collection, but the society did not know about them. She added: “It may be things people don’t know they’ve got.

“Some items were given away to the Brontes’ servants, and may have been passed on. People may not realise items have a Bronte connection.”

Anyone with items should e-mail ann.dinsdale@bronte.org.uk or contact the museum on (01535) 642323.