Royal stamp of approval for budding artist Ava

Ava Downham, seven, who goes to Breck Primary School in Poulton, decided to draw a picture of Blackpool’s war memorial.

And her grandmother, Mary Downham, was so proud of her work, she sent it to the Queen along with a letter.

Mary, 62, from St Annes, said the family was delighted when an envelope with a Buckingham Palace stamp mark landed on Ava’s doorstep.

Mary said: “Ava always buys a poppy every year and the family went to the cenotaph to look round.

“She decided to draw a picture of the cenotaph.

“I said the drawing was amazing and I thought Her Majesty might like to receive this picture.

“So I popped it in the post and then received a reply.

“Ava was so very excited that her picture had been seen by Queen Elizabeth. She was thrilled.”

The reply came from the Queen’s lady-in-waiting, Annabel Whitehead, who wrote: “The Queen wishes me to thank you for your letter and for the splendid picture of your local cenotaph.

“Her Majesty was glad to hear from you and touched by the care you have taken with your picture.”

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