A COMMUNITY champion has been given a surprise award by chat show host Jeremy Kyle.

When a film crew came to Blackburn’s Ivy Street Community Centre, Christine Connell thought they were doing a film about a local ward councillor's MBE.

Christine, who has been involved in running the centre for nearly 30 years, was interviewed by the ITV crew about Coun Maureen Bateson’s recent honour.

Also interviewed were a host of other volunteers and MP Jack Straw at the centre.

Little did Christine know that the crew were making a film about her as part of a ruse, which her friends, family, fellow volunteers, Coun Bateson and Jack Straw were all in on.

Christine only found out when at the TV studio watching the filming of Jeremy Kyle's Five Days of Christmas.

She said: "I was in the studio and they announced my name. I had no idea at all. It was a total surprise."

She was brought up to the stage while a short film of people paying tribute to her was played. She was then told she had been named Jeremy Kyle's unsung hero of 2011.

She said: “Jeremy was great. He is really nice. I was given a plaque and also some nice stuff such as a pamper set but the show also gave lots of things to the centre. That for me was the best thing, the stuff we got for the centre.

"I don't worry about recognition for me - it's recognition for the centre and the people who volunteer here that is the most important."

As part of the award, Christine and her colleagues were given a guided tour round the Coronation Street film set.

They met up with Katherine Kelly, who plays Becky McDonald, Ben Price, who plays Nick Tilsley and Jack P Shepherd, who plays David Platt.

Coun Bateson said: "It was difficult to keep everything secret but we managed. Even in the studio right before they said her name she had no idea.

“But modest as always she sees it as recognition for the centre, not herself. But she deserves to be praised for all the work she has done for her community."

The show will be aired over Christmas.