Girls at a historic boarding school have become national TV stars after a letter posted to Santa nearly 100 years ago was found in their chimney.

Excited boarders at Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls have been basking in their 15 minutes of fame after appearing on 5 News last week and being filmed for ITV Wales on Monday.

Having already appeared on S4C, in national newspapers and on the radio, the festive mystery has sparked the imagination of people all over the country.

And some of HMSG’s youngest boarders, Erin Bieler, Erin Beer, Amelia Couch, Kelsey Macleod Needs, and Jemima Balgarnie, all 10, have loved making the headlines.

Liz Price, Housemistress of School House where they live, said: “It has been magical for the girls, especially because they are the youngest in the house.

“They have loved it.

“When they were watching 5 News the girls were amazed.

“They had to sit through the whole programme because their story was at the end, but it was well worth it.

“The letter has stirred up interest for them in the history of the School too.

“I’m all for looking up the rest of the chimneys to see what we can find.”

HMSG, which was founded in 1892, moved to its current site in Hereford Road, Monmouth, in 1897.

Maintenance worker Andy Beddoes, who was cleaning up after the ravens fell into the bedroom in School House, was vacuuming inside the chimney when he reached up and felt the fragile note resting on a ledge.

While the letter, which has been restored, remains discoloured and brittle, most of Haly H’s words are now legible.

It reads: “Dear Father Christmas, are you coming to see me again in two weeks’ time I suppose?

“Tell Mummy I want a book, Tell England, and an evening dress.

“Love, Haly H XXX”

‘Daddy Xmas’ is written on the other side of the note.

The letter and a new copy of Tell England are to be displayed in a frame on the walls of School House.

ITV Wales is set to broadcast the story during the week before Christmas.

To see the 5 News piece, visit YouTube.co.uk