Norwich boy receives letter from Sir David Attenborough

Noah Howes, nine, from Grosvenor Road, is known as Dr Dolittle, because of his lifelong love of animals.

And to his and his family's surprise he received a handwritten letter from Sir David on November 18 after writing to the national treasure about his passion for the natural world a week ago.

His mum, Vicki Howes, 46, said: "He has always been into animals. It doesn't matter what kind of animal it is - he loves them.

"He has started watching Our Planet by Sir David on Netflix and asked me if I he could write to him.

"We didn't know if he would respond but to our surprise he did.

"It arrived on the mat when Noah was at school and I thought it might be from him because you don't often get handwritten letters through the post anymore.

"His little face was so excited when he picked up the letter.

"It is amazing Sir David took the time to write back to Noah. It made his year. He is thrilled.

"He is really passionate about animals but this has made him more enthusiastic. 

"Sir David is Noah's idol. He wants to follow on his footsteps and become a zookeeper or zoologist."

In his letter Noah told the internationally-renowned broadcaster that his favourite animals were merekats and lemurs and asked Sir David what his favourite animal was.

He also asked the 96-year-old what creature he would talk to if he could communicate with animals.

The Bignold Primary School pupil also told the natural historian how he wanted to do a sponsored animal poo picking fundraiser at zoos for animal consrevation next year.

Sir David said if he could talk to animals he would ask young cuckoo how it flew to flies to west Africa by itself to go the place where its parents live.

His mum, a health care assistant at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: "On holiday this year he watched a show about conservation and how some animals are becoming extinct and it made him very upset."