When Naomi Jupp, 15, was making her regular delivery on 15 September to a property in Christchurch, she noticed that the newspaper wouldn’t go through the letterbox as easily as usual.

Naomi was concerned that the resident may not be able to collect his paper from inside the door. To check whether her worries were warranted, she left the newspaper half hanging out of the letterbox to see if it would be taken by the time she made her delivery the next day.

When she returned, she saw that it was still there and immediately called the police using 101 to report her concerns.

Following Naomi’s call, officers gained entry and discovered an elderly man was in need of urgent medical attention. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

In recognition of the young girl’s heroic and speedy action, officers from the local neighbourhood policing team presented her with a Neighbourhood Inspector’s Special Recognition award.

“Naomi’s actions saved this gentleman’s life and she should feel incredibly proud of herself. The award is our way of recognising this,” said Neighbourhood Police Inspector Nick Lee. “Officers at Dorset Police are trained to be inquisitive and look closely for signs of vulnerability – Naomi’s actions have certainly echoed this.

“We should all look out for each other, particularly during the current situation with COVID-19. Like Naomi, don’t be afraid to take action if you think someone might need help.”

Naomi said, “I have put the paper half in before when I have been worried about some of my other customers. Luckily I’ve never had to take action before.

“This time when I noticed it was still hanging out, I just felt that there was something wrong and that I should report it, so I called 101 as soon as I could.”

Naomi’s mother, Katherine Jupp, said, “Naomi has been delivering newspapers for two years, and continued throughout lockdown as she felt it was important to keep supporting people in the community.

“She’s always been a caring, thoughtful and observant person. I’m extremely proud of her.”

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said, “This was a fantastic response and I’d like to offer my praise to Naomi for taking the initiative to raise the alarm about something that concerned her.

“This was an excellent example of a young person looking out for members of her community, and we should all be inspired by her actions.”

If you have any concerns about the welfare of others, contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101. In an emergency, always call 999.