A five year old artist is selling paintings to help a homelessness charity.

Shrew Montgomery was saddened by the number of homeless people she saw on a trip to London and decided to sell her paintings to raise money to help.

Her mother, Amey Montgomery, set up an Etsy page, with 80 percent of the profits going towards Emmaus in St Albans.

Mrs Montgomery said: “To say we are proud doesn't even cover it; she has amazed me and her dad with her empathy and drive to make a difference.

“She has done something that most adults haven't even considered.”

Shrew has looked up tutorials online to teach her how to paint high quality artwork, and met with the Emmaus UK president Terry Waite at the opening of the Emmaus shop earlier this month.

Emmaus St Albans community support manager and volunteer coordinator at Jennifer Hewson said: “Shrew is such a special little girl and it was a magical day when she visited our building to meet the residents.

“She is so proud of her paintings and loves talking to people about them.”

Emmaus supports formerly homeless people by giving them a home, work and an opportunity to rebuild their lives.