A TEENAGER who fought to overcome dyslexia at school is to be rewarded for her achievements.

Lara Dawson, 19, of Cemetery Road, Darwen, had to work twice as hard as other students but completed her a-levels and is currently taking a business degree at Salford University.

Now she is to receive a Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Award for Young People after being nominated by her special needs tutor at St Wilfrid's High School, Blackburn.

More than 6,000 awards have been given out to high school and college students since the scheme began in 1999 and around 1,200 will be distributed for the last academic year.

Lara, who would eventually like to set up her own catering business, said: "I was really pleased when I found out I had won. The awards are given for outstanding achievement at school and in voluntary work.

"I got through my A-levels and also helped younger children who had learning difficulties like I had.

"I always found myself having to try harder to get what I wanted. It took me a lot longer to plan essays and I had to give my work to my parents to read because some of it would be worded badly.

"It got frustrating. I knew what I needed to know but getting it down on paper was the hard part.

"I am enjoying university although there are a lot of essays. For the award, I had to write about what I'd been doing in school and in college, and the things I had achieved.

"The headmistress and two other teachers wrote about me too but I wasn't confident at all. I was over the moon when I heard.

"My learning difficulties were pointed out when I was in high school but we had an idea all along I could be dyslexic because one of my parents and my sister are both dyslexic. I am also dyspraxic which is a lack of hand to eye co-ordination.

"I got an extra 25 per cent of time in all my exams in high school and was given a tutor who went through all my work on a one-to-one basis."

Tutor Yvonne Hindle, who nominated Lara, said: "We are absolutely thrilled she is going to receive this award.

"She had to work that extra bit harder to achieve it and she's done incredibly well.

"While at sixth form she took part in a scheme where she helped younger students which showed her caring attitude."

Lara will receive a certificate signed by both the Education Secretary, Charles Clarke, and Chancellor Gordon Brown.