Councillor Abigail Lock is accustomed to bewildered looks when she tells people how she cooked roast dinners from the age of nine.

The youngest member of Sutton Council took on responsibility from a worryingly young age by caring for a father with multiple sclerosis.

It was a desire to prevent the 175,000 young carers around the UK becoming equally isolated that attracted her to grass-roots democracy.

Over the next months she will be using her growing influence to help Sutton Carers' Centre raise £25,000.

The money would pay for a specialist worker to identify children struggling to care for sick or disabled parents.

At present the voluntary organisation in Benhill Avenue supports 200 carers in the borough but there are several more "invisible" youngsters.

Coun Lock, 27, said: "Being a young carer is not something you choose, and from a young age I knew that I wanted to help other young carers.

"We're sure there are many other carers in Sutton, but the problem is how do you identify them in the first place, because often young people themselves won't identify as a carer.

"They just realise that they help around the house, and they look after somebody who's sick or disabled, but they might not identify with that label."

The new worker would link with schools, GPs and nurses to transform the lives of youngsters with the weight of the world on their shoulders.

Research shows that carers as young as five support relatives for up to 50 hours a week. They are more likely to be bullied at school and to have long-term health problems and poor job prospects.

To make a donation to Sutton Carers' Association, call 020 8296 5611 or email enquiries@suttoncarerscentre.org