A ROCKET-MAD toddler left upset by the lack of a countdown for the Virgin Galactic space flight has received a written invitation by Sir Richard Branson to a VIP experience at his space store in return.

Bruno Harris, from Poole, watched the British tycoon take off on the pioneering space flight on TV last year and eagerly anticipated the 10 second countdown before lift off.

But the two-year-old had a 'proper meltdown' when the Virgin rocket plane launched without a 10 second countdown.

His dad Steve, a BBC radio DJ, wrote about his son's sad reaction in his column in a magazine which was read by Sir Richard's people.

The billionaire is now considering introducing the traditional countdown for his next launch and has also personally written to the family.

Bournemouth Echo: BNPS.co.uk (01202 558833) Pic: MaxWillcock/BNPS

In his letter he wrote: "I thoroughly enjoyed your piece about dealing with space countdowns - even if I am on the naughty step!

"Whilst you can't always get what you want...it's also important to dream big, even from an early age.

"Hopefully one day - when he has grown up we will have opened up space to all and he can experience flying to space with us too!

"10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Release! All the best to you."

Mr Harris said: "I was just gobsmacked. We were just thrilled when the letter arrived.

"He's a very busy, very successful man. The fact that he'd take time out to hand write a letter to our infant son is fantastic.

"Bruno hasn't stopped running around the house shouting '10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, RELEASE! RELEASE!'

"We'll frame the letter with a picture of the Virgin Galactic Rocket Plane taking off and put it up in Bruno's nursery and when he's a bit older hopefully it'll inspire him to at least pay close attention in his science classes."

Mr Harris believes his son's love of rockets stems from him counting to him from a very young age as a way of distracting him when he had his nappy changed.

Then he left him with his mobile phone and a YouTube video clip of a rocket countdown while he carried out some domestic chores around the house.

Mr Harris said: "We'd watch videos of rockets taking off on YouTube, usually from the golden age of the Apollo missions and he loved them.

"Then I heard about Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic launch last July and thought we should all sit down as a family to watch it.

"We sat and watched it and the rocket plane took off without any kind of countdown and Bruno had a proper meltdown. We had to spend a good 20 minutes playing with Lego rockets afterwards and watching other rockets taking off to calm him down."

"The offer of the experience at the space store is super kind. We're trying to inspire Bruno in every way we can, and Lego rockets will only take him so far."

A Virgin spokesperson said: "It seems Steve's son and Richard Branson have something in common, a love of space from an early age. Richard was just a young boy himself when his dream of space exploration began.

"At two years old, Steve's son is a little young for a trip on Virgin Galactic, but it's never too soon to start preparing. As for the countdown, watch this space!"