Nature and Gardening

Christian Marot never thought he would get a reply to the letter he sent to Sir David Attenborough, at the age of 19, which included a copy of his wildlife filming.

But 10 days later, one came, containing both praise and a considered critique - the original USB stick taped neatly to the personalised stationery bearing the broadcaster's name.

"It was just surreal," says Marot, and "hugely encouraging for a budding wildlife filmmaker".

A decade later, now a professional camera operator, he found himself in a sunny field in Greenford, filming close up shots of Sir David releasing harvest mice on to a grass frond.

It was a real "pinch me moment" for someone who "found words to be difficult" because of his struggles with dyslexia and, on several occasions, was told by teachers he "would not succeed in life".