A little girl’s caring and compassionate nature is attracting a great deal of attention.

Six-year-old Poppy McGowan was BBC North West Tonight’s Christmas Star - which celebrates local heroes in the region - broadcast last week.

She was featured on the programme giving refreshments to elderly residents at Abbotswood nursing home, in Ballasalla.

Witnessing this while visiting his wife Pauline first inspired David Bowman to write about Poppy in Rushen Parish Church magazine in the July edition.

The retired head teacher wrote: ’This little girl has qualities which I have never witnessed in a child of such tender years.

’She is full of compassion, patience, and understanding, and her care for the residents of Abbotswood is to be commended.

’In the afternoon residents are offered refreshments, tea, coffee, or whatever they fancy.

’Unfortunately not all the residents can have this drink without assistance.’

He added: ’I have watched Poppy help these people by holding their cup for them, wiping their faces if there are any drips, and generally coaxing them with compassion to have this much needed sustenance.

’All this with a delightful smile and a genuine concern for the people she helps.’

He commended her parents Gill and Sean for giving her ’the beginnings of a life full of kind-heartedness for the others around her â?¦ Poppy is destined to make a huge difference in society.’

When he saw the BBC North West Christmas Star appeal for nominations he put Poppy’s name forward.

Gill, a nurse at Abbotswood, said Poppy has been visiting the home for many years.

’She has always been remarkable with the residents, engaged with them from day one,’ she said. ’She gives them refreshments and wipes their mouths if they dribble.

’When the BBC were filming she did not care about the cameras.

’She’s an amazing little girl. We are very, very proud of her. She takes it in her stride.

’She just has a caring personality -it’s just part of her nature.’

No surprises that Poppy, who lives in Castletown, wants to be a nurse or a doctor when she grows up.

Gill said a recent report on ITV’s Good Morning Britain said children picked to be angels in their school nativity plays are more likely to be nurses or doctors, and guess what role Poppy plays in this year’s play at Victoria Road Primary School? An angel, of course.