A 10-YEAR-old boy is "thrilled" after receiving a letter back from The Queen after writing to her about his concerns about swans living around litter.
Allanson Street Primary pupil Reece Newton, from Parr, has felt a little lost since school closed, as his mum Joanne Llewellyn said he likes the structure.
As part of his hourly exercise with his mum and brothers during lockdown, Reece walked to the park and Sankey Cancel close to Blackbrook Rugby Club where they found a family of swans.
However as the weeks went on he found that the water was full of litter and that cygnets had been born and were living amongst the litter.
The letter from the Queen
Reece was that concerned that he wrote to the Queen, after learning that the Queen owns all the mute swans in the UK, as well as his MP, hoping something would be done to help the swan family.
Mum-of-three Joanne, 43, said: "We kept walking there for our hour of exercise and kept seeing these swans, then as the weeks went on they had babies which was lovely to see.
"The problem was that littler was tipped into the canal and the chicks were all swimming in it and Reece got really worried about them, and kept talking about this at home.
"He wanted to do something, so we wrote to our MP and to The Queen to tell her what was happening with the litter as I told him that all the swans in the UK belong to her.
"We didn't expect anything back but then a few weeks later we got a letter from the Queen and honestly Reece is just thrilled.
"He can't believe that the Queen responded to him and she even sent information about all the animals she has."
The leaflet Reece received about the Queen's pets
The letter from the Queen, written by assistance correspondence officer Patricia Reason, said: "
"The Queen has asked me to thank you for your letter telling her majesty about the swans you have noticed nesting during your family walks, and the impact that litter and pollution to the waters has had on them. I am sorry it has not been possible to respond to you until now.
"Although unable to reply personally, The Queen was touched that you should wish to make her aware of this, and was encouraged to know of your interest in the welfare of these beautiful protected irds, and how much you care about all wildlife.
"Perhaps I should mention, however, that although Her Majesty has right of ownership of all mute swans in the United Kingdom that are unmarked and swimming in open waters, The Queen mainly exercises this right on certain reaches of the River Thames.
Nevertheless, Her Majesty greatly appreciated you writing as you did and, as you are so fond of animals, I do hope you will enjoy the enclosed leaflet about royal pets."
Joanne added: "For someone in the Queen's staff to be asked to write back to Reece is just wonderful, I'm so proud of him for being so caring of other animals.
"I hope that others will maybe do something to help the swans now the Queen has been made aware also."
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