Belfast schoolgirl in PM's good books with her first-ever letter

Grace Bleakes, from Forge Integrated Primary School in Belfast, received the glowing response after sending her first ever letter – to Theresa May.

The young student said: “I feel like you being a prime minister is great.”

She also posed a series of questions asking what it was like to run the country and inquiring about life outside of politics.

Writing on behalf of Mrs May, a correspondence officer from 10 Downing Street said: “Thank you for your well-written letter.”

The response continued: “The prime minister is an only child and attended Holton Park Girls’ Grammar School in Wheatley in Oxfordshire.

“In her free time, the prime minister enjoys going on walking holidays with her husband, often to Switzerland and also enjoys cooking. The prime minister is also a great fan of watching sport, especially cricket, though she also enjoys watching rowing, athletics and swimming.

“Thank you once again for your letter. Please accept our very best wishes for your continued studies.”

Meanwhile, classmate Sofia Morales, aged seven, was thrilled with her hand-written letter from Sir David Attenborough.

She had told the veteran nature broadcaster: “I love, love, love learning about animals and how they live in the ocean and on land.”

Commending him on programmes such as Planet Earth and Blue Planet, the schoolgirl added: “I did not know that volcanoes could erupt under the water and I thought that dragons were only for fairy-tales.”

The primary four students at the south Belfast school had composed the correspondence as part of a literacy project on formal letter writing.

Teacher Palma McAleer said: “These were the first proper letters the children had written and posted.

“We have had some great responses. Everyone is delighted.”