OUT of the thousands who attended Newport’s remembrance service on Sunday, one little girl proudly wearing her father's medals and clutching a wreath of poppies stood out from the crowd.

Brave little Tegan Cotts-Black, 7, from Crindau, laid the wreath in memory of her dad, Lance Corporal Richard Gotts, 36, who died in 2007 when she was just 17 months old.

Her proud mum, Paula Black, said Tegan likes to wear her dad’s medals and think about him during the service.

Lance Corporal Gotts suffered heart attack and died on the German base of Bielefeld where he was stationed in September 2007.

Ms Black said: “We have nowhere to go to visit him, as his other family have his ashes, so this is a very special time of the year for Tegan to talk about him.”

Tegan is a member of Scotty's Little Soldiers, a charity dedicated to supporting the children of men and women killed while serving in the British Armed Forces. She has been a member since 2010, and she and her mum attend the annual bereavement support group with other children and families who have lost loved ones.

Ms Black said: “Tegan has made so many friends trough the charity, she is not just laying the wreath in memory of her daddy, but her friend’s mums and dads too. It’s a real comfort for her to be able to talk to other children who have lost a parent. For a long time we had no support from anyone, but now we both have friends in similar positions who understand.”

She added: “I tell her about her dad, and that's why we both think Remembrance Sunday is so important. For her, its a chance to wear her dad's medals and take part, which is very important to her. Unfortunately, she's well aware of war and soldiers and what they do.

“That's why I think its hugely important for a child her age to remember those soldiers who fought for us. I think everyone should go. There's a huge amount of veterans in Newport and is nice to go along and thank them for their work.”

"Tegan is invited to the service every year by the mayor. They are all really good to her, and make sure she's okay. It’s a real honour for Tegan to be asked and it's something I hope we will continue to do for many years.”