A COUNTY Durham schoolboy’s festive stamp design could be finding its way through letterboxes across the world if it gets the royal seal of approval.

Sedgefield Primary School pupil Daniel Scott, aged seven, has been named the winner of the North-East category final for four to eight year olds in the Royal Mail’s 2017 Christmas stamp design competition.

The seven-year-old’s entry is one of 24 across the UK to go through to the final which will see Prince Charles select the two overall winners.

Sedgefield Primary School teacher Tania Dodds said: “We are incredibly proud of Daniel to have gotten this far.

“All of our children entered the competition earlier in the year to design a Christmas stamp for Royal Mail.

“Hopefully Daniel will be successful in the final round which happens at the end of June. Fingers crossed.” Only three times in Royal Mail’s 500-year history have children’s designs been used on Christmas stamps - in 1966, the year the first Christmas stamps were issued in the UK, in 1981 and 2013.

If Daniel makes first or second place, his creation could feature on either a 1st Class or 2nd Class stamp - with the approval of the Queen.

The budding artist’s design was one of more than 200,000 from children aged between four and 11 years old across the UK in response to the question ‘what does the Christmas season mean to you?’.

The two winners will be announced in the summer and the stamps will go on sale on November 7.

By progressing to the final, Daniel has won £500 in vouchers and £500 for his school.

And Catherine Harness, aged ten, of Front Street Community Primary School, Whickham, was named winner of the North-East category final for eight to 11 year olds after impressing with her nativity scene design.