TWO students have been named as the regional winners in Wales in the Royal Mail’s children’s Christmas stamp design competition.

Carys Barklam, 11, from Osbaston Church in Wales School and Archie Allen, 10, from Shirenewton Primary School are two of the 10 regional finalists.

Carys’ entry features a drawing of a snowman wrapped in a blue coat, scarf and hat while Archie drew a Santa Clause and a Christmas tree.

Their drawings were a response to the question posed by the competition, ‘What does the Christmas season mean to you?’.

Their entries were chosen as the best from thousands submitted by four to 11-year-olds across the Wales region.

They are now shortlisted for the next stage of competition where local judges will select their top two designs to represent the region in the national final.

A national panel of judges will then select the two designs that will feature on this year’s first and second class Christmas stamps.

As with all special stamps issued by Royal Mail, both winning designs will have to be approved by the Queen.

The stamps will then be on sale from 7th November.

Only three times before in Royal Mail’s history: 1966, 1981 and 2013, have the official Christmas stamps been designed by children.