A kind-hearted youngster has asked friends and family to give money to charity instead of buying her a birthday present.

Jessica Abnett, who turns 11 on Monday, January 26, will present any money she receives to the NSPCC charity, as she wants children less fortunate than her to benefit from her birthday.

The youngster, from Frindsbury Road, Frindsbury, said: “I don’t need any more toys. I’ve got lots already so I decided to raise money for other people who are less fortunate than me instead.

“I’ve not raised money for charity before but I might do it again.

“When I told my friends a few of them were like ‘but I’ve already bought you a present’ or they said they really wanted to buy me a present.

“I told one of my teachers and she said she thought it was a really good idea.”

Jessica and her mum Angela hope to raise further funds for the children’s charity by taking a bucket to The Bell pub, in Frindsbury Road, on Friday, January 23, where they will ask people to donate any loose change.

They’ve also applied for a permit from Medway Council so they can carry out a collection in Strood High Street, on Saturday, January 24.

Angela, who is proud of her daughter’s selfless act, said: “She came up with the idea on her own so I’m really impressed by her. I suppose she must have an old head on young shoulders to be thinking along those lines.

“When Jessica lost her dad nearly three years ago, to try to make things better I got her to think about the fact we had a roof over our heads, good friends and family, but that there are some children out there who are a lot worse off than she is. That’s possibly the reason why she chose the NSPCC.”