A hospital cleaner from Sidmouth has been recognised nationally for going the extra mile for patients and their families.

Linda Shelton, who works in the Clyst stroke ward at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, was nominated by Margaret Ford for the Good Morning Britain’s Hospital Health Star awards.

Margaret praised Linda for her work while her father Roger Johnson was in hospital. In her nomination she wrote that the Sidmouth resident was ‘always cheerful and welcoming’ while working in the ‘challenging environment’ of a stroke ward.

Margaret said: “Linda is very dedicated in carrying out her cleaning duties, often arriving early to make an early start on work, while having a kind word and a smile for everyone. She makes a special effort to take care of the flowers brought in by visitors and always looks to lighten the mood.

“She takes real pride in her work on the ward and always looks to support her colleagues, as well as offering a friendly face and a listening ear to patients and visitors. My father has recently spent several weeks on the ward and although it has been a very hard time, we were always pleased to see Linda.”

Despite not winning the category, Linda said: “I love my job and the contact I get with patients and their families. It’s brilliant to be nominated and I’d like to thank Margaret for all the trouble she’s gone to for me.”

An ITV spokeswoman for the awards added: “We had thousands of entries and choosing the winners gave the judges a real headache, so Linda is a very worthy finalist and many congratulations to her.”

RD&E Chief Executive Angela Pedder presented Linda with a certificate and flower.

She said: “I’m very proud that Linda has been recognised nationally for going the extra mile in her role. She made a real difference to this family at a very difficult time for them and her care and compassion are shining examples of the values and behaviours that all our staff aspire to.”