A woman who made history as the first model with Down’s syndrome to feature on the front cover of Vogue said she was honoured to be making her acting debut.

Ellie Goldstein, from Essex, plays Nancy in the new series of Malory Towers on CBBC.

Doctors said the 23-year old would never be able to walk or talk when she was born.

“I am so honoured to have been a part of this fantastic series. I’m beyond excited to see my episodes and share them with everyone,” she said.

Now in its sixth season, Malory Towers follows the adventures of a group of girls at a boarding school in post-war Britain.

“I was nervous to go on set but when I saw the school house, it wasn’t a dream, it was really true and I loved filming every scene at Malory Towers in school house,” she said.

“Down’s syndrome means I’ve got an extra chromosome – lucky me. Diversity should be out there and people should not be hidden in boxes. They need to be seen.”

Patricia Hidalgo, director Children and Education at the BBC said it had “long been a leader in championing diversity and representation, both on screen and behind the scenes”.

“When children see themselves and their peers represented, it fosters empathy, belonging and a deeper understanding of others,” she said.

The first episode featuring Ellie, which is episode eight in the series, is available on BBC iPlayer on 30 June and airs on CBBC on 1 July.