Children at St Mary’s Church Nursery in Dunmow made a colourful 90th birthday card for Her Majesty the Queen, which was sent off to Buckingham Palace.

The Queen received the youngsters’ card and wrote back thanking them.

Sue Berry, nursery manager, said: “The children were excited to receive a card and a letter from Her Majesty thanking them for their ‘colourful handmade card’.”

At Dunmow St Mary’s Primary School, pupils spent last week looking at the Queen and her role and on Friday, every child and member of staff dressed in red, white and blue to play games on the school field and displayed their work.

At lunchtime, the children were visited by someone dressed as the Queen and special guest Olive Bartlett, aged 90, whose daughter and granddaughter Maurence Vince and Lisa Tyrell work at the school as midday assistant and catering manager and whose great granddaughters Molly, nine and Emily five are pupils there.

School spokesman Jess Horrocks said: “It has been really special celebration.”