A GIRL from Crossgates was 'beaming with delight' after receiving a letter from the Queen - just days before Her Majesty passed away.

Mhairi Wheatley had sent a handwritten letter to Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral in June for the Platinum Jubilee.

The eight-year-old congratulated her on becoming the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.

Much to Mhairi's joy, she received a letter back on Tuesday last week - two days before the Queen sadly died, age 96, at Balmoral -, but not before the family's Miniature Schnauzer, Monty, got his paws on it.

The Crossgates Primary School pupil's mum, Laura, told the Times that, thankfully, a crisis was averted.

"My son rescued it from the dog who had taken it outside!

"Thank goodness he didn’t chew it to bits!

"He was sharp-eyed enough to spot the post mark and put it somewhere safe.

"Mhairi was so excited when she saw the post mark and was beaming with delight when she opened it.

"She FaceTimed her gran and grandad straight away to show them and sent a picture to her teacher to show her too.

"She has been telling her friends and can’t believe she has a letter from Buckingham Palace.

"She has kept it somewhere safe.

"What a keepsake, especially now."