Nursery children from St Albans are writing to Australian pen-pals in time for the country’s national holiday.

Grasshoppers Day Nursery team leader Jodie Smart visited relatives in Palmyra, western Australia, and asked her seven-year-old cousins Evelyn and Amelie if they would become pen-pals with preschoolers in England.

In their first letter, Evelyn and Amelie wrote that they spend weekends on the beach and love the Harry Potter books, and invited the St Albans children to ask them any questions about their country ahead of Australia Day on Sunday, January 26.

When she returned to the UK, Jodie delivered the letters and the Grasshoppers pupils are now working hard on their replies.

Jodie said: "I realised writing to Evelyn and Amelie would be a hugely exciting and engaging way for the preschoolers to learn more about Australia, all while developing their writing and communication skills."