A rugby-mad Abergavenny schoolboy was thrilled last week to receive a hand-written letter from the great legend of the game Sir Gareth Edwards.

Ten year old Conor Dyke is a pupil at Llantilio Pertholey Primary School where Year 5 pupils have been studying all aspects of the 1960s. They were asked to choose one person each who was born in or connected to that era and he chose Sir Gareth. Conor said: "You inspire me so much when you played rugby, I only know you because my dad said how good Wales were in the 1970s and how good you were. I looked on YouTube and you were sick! I loved that back door pass you did against Scotland."

Conor went on to say he thought Sir Gareth and Alun Wyn Jones (the current captain of Wales) are the best players of all time. He then invited him to visit the school.

Instead he received a two-page hand-written letter from Sir Gareth telling him about the 1960s. He went on to tell the schoolboy:"My favourite players of the time were Dewi Bebb, Onllwyn Brace, L H Williams and Cliff Morgan and how he played his first two games for Wales with one of his heroes Dewi Bebb. "That really was a thrill. I was fortunate enough to play with and against some wonderfully gifted players - Gerald Davies, Barry John, J P R Williams (all from Wales), Mike Gibson, Willie John McBride (Ireland), David Duckham (England) and Ian Kirkpatrick, New Zealand. I would find it difficult to pick one of these as my favourite player."

Conor said he was delighted to receive the letter from his hero and loved the fact he was the first of his classmates to receive a reply. Others have written to The Queen, Twiggy, Sir Paul McCartney, Lulu and Buzz Aldrin, the American astronaut.

Class teacher Mrs Tracey Pugh said the topic was part of their authentic learning project and the children had not only enjoyed writing their letters but also visiting Mardy Post Office to send them.

Sir Gareth is not the first famous person to contact the school. Year 5 pupils have been reading poetry by the great Benjamin Zephaniah and their teacher filmed them reading Clever Trevor aloud and tweeted him. She also told him his poem Talking Turkeys was another favourite. He tweeted back: “5 hours travelling. No sleep. It’s 1am and just arrived in my room. Tired. Worn out. Then I see this. Happy Now. Life is good again.

“To all the kids at Llantilio Pertholey CiW Primary School I say diolch and stay kool.”