A 13-year-old who suffers from cystic fibrosis became Romford Ambulance Service’s youngest recruit.

Duty Station Officer Carmel Walling, from the Romford ambulance crew and a personal friend of the charity Rays of Sunshine, oversaw arrangements for the day in which Charlotte Dighton, from Erith in Kent, was given the opportunity to put her illness on hold and fulfil her greatest wish – to be a paramedic for the day.

Charlotte was collected by a Romford ambulance crew and driven to the London Ambulance Service HQ in Waterloo.

There she was presented with her own paramedic shirt and a certificate from the London Ambulance Service to commemorate her visit and grant her the position of honorary paramedic for the day.

After the visit to headquarters, Charlotte was driven back home in an ambulance.

Charlotte had an ambition to be either a paramedic or an actress when she grows up, but her condition may prevent her. I’ve wanted to be a paramedic since I was eight,” she said. “I would like to help save people’s lives.

“I really enjoyed the visit, it hasn’t put me off at all!” she said.

Carmel said: “Charlotte was interested in everything we do. It was so inspiring to spend time with her.”