A BURNLEY-based youth football club has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest such honour in the UK.

Fulledge Colts YFC, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, works with the local community to promote grassroots football among youngsters and helps to raise awareness about charitable causes in the area, with a campaign to support Mental Health Awareness Week being just the most recent example.

This work has earned Fulledge its ‘Pride of Burnley’ nickname and now the Queen’s Award.

Club president and founder David Holmes said: “We are absolutely delighted and honoured to receive this award.

“The club has come such a long way over the years, and I am extremely proud of our volunteers, the hard work and commitment that goes in and excited to see how the club can further develop.

“We will certainly be looking to celebrate as a community once it is safe to do so.”

The awards were created in 2002 to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Fulledge Colts is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the award this year ranging from a community shop in Cornwall to a refugee support group in Stirling and many more.

The club has previously been honoured as sports community club of the year for 2017.

The current lockdown situation has meant that celebrations have had to remain somewhat muted.

However, representatives of Fulledge Colts will receive the award from The Rt Hon the Lord Shuttleworth KG, KCVO, Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire later this summer.

Next May two volunteers from Fulledge Colts will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace, along with other recipients of this year’s award.

The club is now looking forward to eventually returning to action on the pitch when lockdown restrictions are eased.