HEALTH visitor Carol Wyatt has won £1,000 runner-up prize for her 'lousy' book.

But the 32-year-old nurse and mum-of-two has no idea she has collected the NHS Health Challenge Award, community group section, for her new book on nits.

She's on holiday with her family in America and won't be back until later this month.

Carol, based at Tyldesley Clinic, devised an imaginative response to one of the most common, yet misunderstood, problems encountered by teachers, health professionals and parents alike -- head lice.

Her research and involvement in many earlier initiatives had confirmed that myths and misconceptions still abound, and that previous health promotions had been taken on board, but misunderstood.

As reported in the Journal a fortnight ago, she wrote a light-hearted story, Princess Cleanhair and the Headlouse Family, as a new way of educating about headlice control.

The book is attractive to children, yet factual and destigmatising, and is suitable for parents, teachers and health professionals.