LITTLE Faith Tomlinson may only be 12, but she ‘s an old hand in Newton Abbot’s monthly antique market. And the youngest stallholder at the Racecourse venue already has a reputation as a canny buyer and seller.

Not surprising since this schoolgirl with the cheeky patter  has been working car boot sales since she was just five.

‘I love the buzz of finding a bargain or getting a sale. All the  time I’m building up my knowledge of the trade,’ said Faith.

‘Most important in the market place is to know what sells. I have my own favourites – usually little china figures and animals which I keep in my bedroom.

‘But I know I have to be realistic and that sooner or later they all have to go on sale. I can’t allow myself to become sentimental over one piece.

‘I usually build up my stock from car boot sales and keep them in a storeroom under the house until market day.’

At their home in Cockwood on the River Exe Exe near Dawlish her mother Vanessa added: ‘She ‘s become a real favourite with the other traders.

‘They admire her knowledge of the business and often bring over items for her to sell.

‘As well as an eye for china figurines she’s becoming very good at spotting the best of costume jewellery.’

Vanessa, who gave up being a lawyer to devote more time to Faith and her two brothers, works as a buy and seller of first editions.

‘I suppose it runs in the family. As a little girl I loved my uncle’s massive car boot sales which were the biggest in the south west.

‘Faith seems to have inherited this interest and it’s quite profitable for her – she earns over £60 profit each marker day.’

Now Faith has put her sales pitch techniques to use as an actress,on a local Indy vampire film.

She’s joined the cast of Immortium, as Trixie, a sort of ‘Del Girl ‘trader to the bloodsuckers.

‘I love it. And I even managed to talk like a Sarf Londoner, after a bit of practice,’ added the well-spoken Year 8 choirgirl at Trinity School, Teignmouth.

Film director and producer Luke Abbot added: ‘She’s a natural and all the cast love her.

‘Who knows, next year she might be a millionaire.’