“DIANA Miller is, hands down, the hardest-working, most impassioned and supportive member of support staff I have ever had the pleasure of working with.”

Praise such as that is not handed out lightly, and the work Peel Park Primary’s Diana Miller does at the school on a daily basis does not go unnoticed.

The 65-year-old was described by a “foundation block of the school” by teacher Callum Power, who put her forward for the award.

He said: “I think the government should be funding research into cloning Diana Miller.

“If every school had a Di, progress would be unparalleled and the recruitment crisis would be a thing of the past.

“Her passion for, and dedication to, helping the children at school is inspiring and the children benefit greatly from Di being a part of their lives.

“Di works with some of the most challenging children in the year group and has them in the palm of her hand with her caring, consistent and charismatic approach.

“Despite a lifetime of hard-work, she comes in every day always looking to give more love, care and support to any adult or child she comes into contact with. The amount Diana does for others in unquantifiable.”