Education secretary Michael Gove has delighted a young boy after a note he sent attached to a helium balloon landed outside the office of the Conservative minister.

The letter of Eddie Nicholls, 5, from Halstow Primary School in Greenwich, explained his hobbies and interests.

In response, Mr Gove said that he was delighted to receive post "in such an unusual way".

In a reply letter, the education secretary added: "Thank you for your letter, which landed right outside my office, the Department for Education, here in Westminster today.

"The balloon must have floated all the way here past the London Eye, over Parliament, and maybe by the Tower of London."

Eddie's note has been displayed online by Sam Freedman, a policy adviser at the Department for Education.

Indeed, the note, still attached to the blue balloon, has been attracting plenty of interest of social networking site Twitter.

Eddie's father, Henry Nicholls, has described the whole scenario as "hilarious".

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