A PICTURE of ‘our Heather’ – as most islanders now regard Guernsey’s outstanding tennis star – with the Queen on yesterday’s front page summed up what a fairy story this is turning into.

And while there is a fair bit of magic involved, it is also a real world tale of hard work, determination and guts.

While Ms Watson has talent, she also has the ambition and drive to take that natural ability to world class levels, as her appearance at Wimbledon demonstrated.

That she remains a thoroughly nice young woman with both feet metaphorically on the floor and has two hugely supportive parents just adds to the glamour of the piece.

What is unquestionably real, however, is the pleasure and pride that islanders take from her progress. That was illustrated earlier in the week when one of our regular correspondents took us to task for Wednesday’s ‘Unlucky Heather’ page one.

‘Since she’d played brilliantly and caused considerable concern to an opponent ranked more than a hundred places higher, the front page would have looked better with a broad smile from Heather and the heading “Heather nearly did it!”,’ he said.

Well indeed and another caller wondered why we hadn’t headed the piece, ‘Plucky Heather’ given her combative performance on court and, as subsequently emerged, the fact that she played while injured and having been advised not to.

What all this means, of course, is that islanders have taken to their star and are rather protective of her because they – and we – are rooting for her to succeed.

In fact, she has already achieved amazingly and the hope and expectation is that there is much more to come and much pleasure to be gained from an outstanding athlete’s performance in the years ahead.

It is also gratifying that Guernsey has been able to provide a springboard for Heather and many other talented youngsters in sporting and academic fields.

We do punch above our weight and the return on the island’s investment in youth is, in many cases, literally thrilling, as we have seen.

As the summer sun continues, there really is much for us all to give thanks for.