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An eight-year-old who wrote a formal letter of complaint about his bedtime got his comeuppance when the NHS wrote back to him. 

Max, whose hilarious letter was shared by his mum, Dr Alexandra Jellicoe, on Twitter, said he’d checked the NHS website and determined that eight-year-olds needed “10 hours and 15 minutes sleep”. 

“I am complaining about my bedtime,” he wrote. “I am now 8 years old and need more independence.” And after checking the NHS guidelines, Max concluded: “This means I should go to bed at 9 o’clock.”

Unluckily for Max, however, the NHS tweeted his mum back.

“If it helps for future conversations,” they wrote, “our sleeping advice also recommends that a child’s bedroom should be tidy and also screen-free zones (sorry Max).”

The post went viral, with more than 200,000 likes on mum’s tweet, and more than 20,000 for the NHS’s reply. 

One person pointed out that Max’s argument was “sound and backed up with references to acknowledged research”. He added: “How can you refuse?”

Another said they’d be taking a leaf out of Max’s book and, “ending all complaint emails with ‘lots of love’ now”. 

While someone else said they, too, would be backing up all demands with: “I’ve checked the NHS website”. 

We’re yet to find out whether the eight-year-old’s bedtime has been officially moved. Fingers crossed for you, Max.