THE sort of people who can usually expect to have Prime Minister Gordon Brown's ear include world leaders and senior cabinet ministers in his government.

THE sort of people who can usually expect to have Prime Minister Gordon Brown's ear include world leaders and senior cabinet ministers in his government.

Not any longer, it would seem, as the most important man in the country took time out to respond to a letter from 10-year-old Great Yarmouth girl, Brogan O'Donovan in which she spoke of her concern about the economic crisis and the impact it was having on the High Street.

Brogan, of Admiralty Road, decided to pen her letter to the Prime Minister after seeing news stories about the closure of two of her favourite High Street stores, Woolworths and Adams Kids, as a result of the credit crunch.

And to the Greenacre Middle School pupil's surprise a letter dropped through the door from 10 Downing Street two weeks after she had sent her letter on January 12 to thank her for writing, and address her concerns over the economy.

The signed response said the government would be “working hard over the coming months to help families and businesses across the country,” and congratulated her on becoming 10 on Sunday .

Brogan said she regularly watched the news and was concerned about world affairs and politics. This interest was stoked by films she has watched on DVD including Mrs Brown, about Queen Victoria's reign and Roots, about the American slave trade.

She initially planned to write to the Queen, but chose the Prime Minister as he runs the country.

She said: “I was not really expecting a response and I did not think it would come as quickly as it did. I was surprised he replied as quickly as he did as he has got more important things to worry about than writing to a 10-year-old.”

Keen football fan Brogan, who has divided loyalties between Liverpool and Chelsea, also plans to write to Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

She divides her time between mum Niomi O'Donovan's house in Admiralty Road and her grandmother Josephine O'Donovan's home in Trafalgar Road, and has two brothers - Connor and Ethan Barrett, 15 and 12 respectively.

Her ambition is to become a solicitor or writer, although her favourite school subjects include art and design technology.