A letter has been sent to the staff at Bude General Post Office from Buckingham Palace, thanking them for the kind wishes they sent the Queen recently on her birthday. Every year on the Queen's birthday, Luke Francis, Bude Head Postmaster, raises the Union Jack outside the building and the staff wear red, white and blue buttonholes to celebrate the occasion. Luke told the 'Post': "It was widely recognised by the public why we were wearing them and many also asked if I had sent her a card." So Luke picked a card from the selection available at the Post Office and sent it to the Queen at Buckingham Palace. In the card, he wished her a happy birthday and told her that the Union Jack was flying high to commemorate her special day. The following week, Luke received a telephone call from Buckingham Palace, and the Queen's Lady in Waiting explained to him that the Queen receives thousands of cards on her birthday, but the card from Bude Post Office staff was presented to her and a letter would be sent, thanking them for the card. The following morning the above letter arrived from Buckingham Palace, thanking Luke, his family and the staff for their kind birthday wishes. Luke said: "I'm overwhelmed with it. To think that she's read it, I'm just chuffed to bits really. All the staff are pleased and it makes doing things like that worthwhile." He joked: "I'm now expecting one from her for my birthday in February."