A GROUP of school pupils were thrilled to receive letters from their MP inviting them to the Houses of Parliament.

Year five and six children at Rise Carr Primary School, Darlington, are planning a trip to London in July.

Three 11-year-old pupils, Sarah Carter, Gemma Lyne and Craig Walls, wrote to Darlington MP Alan Milburn on behalf of the school asking if he could arrange a visit.

Nursery nurse Judith Young, who is organising the London trip, said: "The children each got an individual letter back from the House of Commons.

"Mr Milburn said it would be a pleasure to arrange a tour and the letters to the children were all different - it wasn't a standard reply just run off a computer. The children were so happy with the letters, because they were personal to them."

There are a number of activities lined up for the trip to London, including a visit to the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and Downing Street.

The date for the House of Commons visit has to be arranged.

Miss Young said: "We're really looking forward to it because London is a place a lot of the children haven't been to before."