THE little-known story of a nurse from the region who helped develop the health service of a South American country has been revealed.

An approach to leaders of Thirsk Town Council, North Yorkshire, from a town in Uruguay could be the start of an unlikely friendship between the two communities.

Despite being a virtual unknown in her native county, Hannah Packer is revered in South America.

She moved to Uruguay more than 100 years ago and settled in the mining town of Minas de Corrales.

When she got there, she improved the poor nursing profession which existed in the country.

Such was her impact that the work she started became the foundation for Uruguay's nursing system.

Now Minas de Corrales residents want to mark the nurse's efforts by creating links with Thirsk.

Bill Hays, who lives in Minas de Corrales, is in contact with Thirsk Town Council about the link.

In an email, he said: "She is revered as the founder of the nursing profession in Uruguay.

"Being married to a Scots doctor, the two committed themselves body and soul to improving health conditions in what was a lawless gold mining village in the early years of the last century."

The Quaker nurse was born in 1841 and lived in Kirkgate before training in the medical field.

She married a doctor, Francis Davison, and the couple headed to South America in the late 19th Century.

Once there, she worked as a nurse and midwife in the Spanish-speaking republic.

She became very highly regarded in her adopted country and died in 1930 at the age of 89.

Earlier this year, the Hospital of Minas de Corrales, founded in 1928, was re-named the Hospital Ana Packer to mark her work.

The initial move to create a link between Uruguay and Thirsk came about almost by chance.

A Uruguayan university student asked Thirsk Museum for details on Hannah Packer for a book.

Mayor of Thirsk, Councillor Jan Marshall, said: "We want to do something about marking her work.

"She is a very famous and revered person in Uruguay due to her work with the health service. It is very exciting and I think it shows how people from a little town can go and do something like this.

"And yet, strangely, almost nobody in North Yorkshire knows about her."

The town council has agreed to send leaflets and information on Thirsk to South America.

Mr Hays has suggested a member of the town council could travel to Uruguay as part of the process.