An eight-year-old girl battling health problems is delivering Christmas cheer to children in hospitals across the region.
Poppy Jones and her mum Sharon have been collecting donations from kind-hearted people across Merseyside and Cheshire to give to children who will be spending Christmas in hospital.
Poppy, from Ellesmere Port, suffers with bowel conditions and often struggles with pain and discomfort.
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Poppy had her large colon removed and a colostomy bag fitted last year - but her illness hasn't stopped her from trying to help others at Christmas for the fourth consecutive year.
Sharon, 38, told the ECHO 'Poppy Power' first wanted to help when she was just five. She said: "After hearing she wasn't alone, Poppy wanted to start raising money for [other children] so she did a seven mile walk when she was five.
"It's just escalated from there. Poppy had a fear of being in hospital over Christmas so she did a Christmas toy party where we filled an ambulance full of toys.
"We've just done the same since then — this will be her fourth Christmas doing it."
Sharon and Poppy said people have been so generous donating toys and sweets for the children in hospital.
People from across the country have donated to the Poppy Power campaign.
Sharon said: "This year I'm quite surprised as it's hard for people at the moment with everything that's happening, but people surprise you at this time of year.
"People who have children are more understanding of what we're trying to do as they wouldn't want their child in hospital.
"If children are going to be in hospital, we want to make it as pleasant as possible."
Sharon added companies such as Morrisons have donated to the cause — and the LFC Foundation even donated a signed shirt which they raffled off to buy toys with.
The donations have mainly gone to Countess of Chester Hospital and Alder Hey Children's Hospital — for which Poppy is an ambassador.
Sharon estimates that thousands of children have benefited from the donations Poppy has given to hospitals over the years.
She said: "They get an awful lot of donations at this time of year from some big companies, but when a child hands them over it makes it that bit more special.
"She's worked really hard and knows what it's like to be in hospital.
"She has a close relationship with the charity team at Alder Hey but the smaller hospitals like Chester are so, so grateful for the donations.
"When we spoke with them they said they were short of baby toys so we made that our mission to get more for them."
Poppy is still battling her own medical conditions and has spent much of her life in and out of hospitals.
Sharon said: "She's a little superstar really. A lot of people know what she does and what it's all about and they're good with her.
"We've had people from London reaching out and sending her things in the post.
"We have a little, old lady who sends her a cheque each year but she always writes 'Poppy Power' on it so we can't even cash it.
"It's just so sweet that people of all ages are so generous and want to give to the hospitals.
"Poppy loves handing it over knowing what it's doing for the children."
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