She is only 17 years of age but Chloe Moore already works harder than many adults.

From the moment her alarmbell wakes her in the morning, she starts caring for her mother and autistic brother.

Coupled with the fact that she is studying to become a teaching assistant at the College of West Anglia, King's Lynn, and working part-time at a chip shop, it is little wonder she describes herself as 'constantly tired.'

Chloe is one of an estimated 5,570 young carers in and around Norfolk who devotes much of her time to looking after her family.

Her mother, Theresa, suffers from lupus (an illness affecting the skin, joints, and internal organs), while her brother Connor, 14, has a short attention span and needs to be entertained.

'It is hard and it puts me under a lot of pressure,' Chloe said.

'I'm constantly tired and I have my own problems to worry about as well.'

Her daily tasks include washing her mother in the bath and getting her dressed, and entertaining her brother.

'Caring is very tiring but it's something that has to be done,' Chloe said.

But thankfully support is available to her in the form of Norfolk Young Carers Forum, which organises activities to give members a rest and some time away from their families. It meets in area teams around the county.

The forum has been awarded £500,000 by the Big Lottery Fund to enable it to continue offering support for another five years.

Founder member Chloe said: 'The forum is a life-saver.

'It gives me the chance to spend time with other young people like me.

'We're a group of tight-knit friends and they've really helped me pull through sometimes.'

Lynne Shimell, a forum participation worker, said: 'It's highly unusual for the Lottery to effectively fund a project twice, but the forum is so important and nationally recognised.'

For more information on the forum visit www.carersagencypartnership.org.uk/en/young-carers/norfolk-young-carers-forum

Are you a young carer? Email our health correspondent at nicholas.carding@archant.co.uk