Reddit comes together to wish 'Britain's loneliest schoolboy' a merry Christmas

The boy's best friends are his dog, some ducks and flocks of sheep

One of about 300 of the Shetland Islands about 100 km off north of mainland Scotland (Rex Features)

A boy with no classmates dubbed "Britain's loneliest school boy" is the subject of a Christmas card campaign to cheer him up.

Aron Anderson, who is 10-years-old and lives on the Scottish island of Out Skerries, is the only pupil in his school amid a tiny population of 70 people.

And now internet users moved by his story are planning to spread the word of his solo existence and send him festive greetings from across Britain.

Reddit users have responded to a post on Aron's behalf to let him know he is not alone.

"I took it upon myself to organise something nice for him," said Reddit user Ross McMahon, according to The National.

"I phoned his school last week to let them know that I was planning this, and that I recommended his parents and his teacher helps him to open the cards.

"I really want him to get a big massive smile on his face."

With one teacher for English, maths, science, cookery, PE and crafts lessons, Aron's education costs the local council £75,357 per year, which is more than double the price of a boarder's place at Eton, according to the Daily Telegraph.

His exclusive place at Skerries Community School is only a recent development, since brothers Ivan and Owen, and friends Ethan and Scott Arthur, have left for secondary school at the nearby Shetland island of Lerwick.

The closure of Out Skerries' salmon farm, roughly 386 miles north of Edinburgh, has also reduced the number of families with younger children living there, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Aron said his best friends were his dog, some ducks and flocks of sheep.

He and his teacher, Jean Harlow, also go on a brisk one mile walk every day and pick up interesting objects along the way.

"It is quite weird sometimes - not having anyone else at school," said Aron according to the Daily Telegraph.

"But I like this island. I can ride around and explore on my bike; in summer I can swim in the sea and jump off the pier."

The empathetic Reddit user added that if just one per cent of the message board's 20,000 subscribers sent the 10-year-old their festive greetings, he would receive 200 Christmas cards over December.