LONDON (Reuters) - The children of Britain's former finance minister, Jeremy Hunt, left welcome notes for Keir Starmer's children at his Downing Street residence, a gesture that the country's new prime minister said was "really sweet and thoughtful".

Starmer, who won a landslide election victory last week, has yet to move into his new home because he did not want to leave his children there while he and his wife were in Washington to attend the NATO summit this week.

"In terms of notes what I will tell you is this, it was very nice. Jeremy Hunt's children left notes for our children coming into the Number 11 flat," Starmer told reporters, referring to the residence which is often used by the finance minister.

It is located next door to his Number 10 office but offers more space, so in recent years some prime ministers have chosen to live there.

"We have not moved in yet because we didn't want to leave the kids there while we were away, but I think that was really sweet and thoughtful of them to do that because for children this is very impactful."

"They have been through it. They are slightly different ages but for them to be thoughtful enough to leave a note is very special," Starmer said. "Our children were very pleased to get those notes."

Starmer and his wife are very protective of the privacy of their children, but have said they one daughter and one son. Hunt has three children.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by William Schomberg)