A SOUTHAMPTON nurse who wrote a book to help tackle anxiety in children amid the coronavirus outbreak has been awarded the Prime Minister’s daily Point of Light.

The book was written by Molly Watts, a staff nurse on the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Southampton Children’s Hospital, who penned the story after a nightshift in March.

The book is to children and their parents information on the virus from reassuring character ‘Nurse Dotty’.

Molly’s book is supported by the NHS and has been downloaded more than 20,000 times worldwide.

Now, Molly has been awarded the Prime Minister’s daily Point of Light.

In a personal letter to Molly, the Prime Minister said: “You have used your Nurse Dotty books to help reduce the fear and anxiety that many young people have about coronavirus and it is fantastic that “Dave the Dog is Worried about Coronavirus” has already been downloaded more than 20,000 times worldwide.

“Allow me also to express my deepest gratitude and admiration for your service to our country as a paediatric nurse in intensive care.

"Twenty-four hours a day, for every second of every hour, you and your colleagues are watching over your patients with the most astonishing devotion, precision and love.

“It is why our whole nation is so immeasurably proud of our NHS and everyone who works within it.

"And on behalf of the whole country, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The Prime Minister’s UK daily Point of Light award was first launched in April 2014 to recognise outstanding individuals making a difference where they live.

Molly said: “I am so honoured to receive this award especially now when so many incredible people are doing so much to help others.

"The fact that the story has reached so many children and that they have found it helpful is amazing to me.

"I am so proud to be part of our wonderful NHS and I owe this award to my wonderful colleagues in paediatric ICU who have always inspired and encouraged nurse Dotty and who are working so hard.”