A five-year-old boy from Buckinghamshire received a personal message from the Queen after she found a balloon he had released.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/8310816.stm

Charlie Castle was one of about 50 schoolchildren who released balloons during an end-of-term farewell at his school near High Wycombe in July.

The Queen came across it about 14 miles away, in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

A letter from Buckingham Palace to Charlie said the Queen was "so happy it was your balloon she found".

A numbered ticket was attached to the balloon, naming Charlie's school.

Call from palace

The Queen's personal assistant, Angela Kelly, was entrusted with returning it to Charlie, along with a note.

Anne Harding, head of Little Marlow school, said: "There was a message left on the school answer phone from someone who said they were calling from Buckingham Palace.

"I thought it could be a wind-up but when I made contact, I was told that the Queen would like to send a letter."

Mrs Harding said the school kept quiet about what had happened until the letter arrived last month.