HUTTON Grammar School pupil Adam Taylor is among seven young people from the region who will receive an award today (Thursday) at a special Sports Personality of the Year event to be held at County Hall.

Adam, aged 15, represented the North West in May at the National Youth Hockey Tournament. He is a goalkeeper and hopes that his results this year will gain him a place in the England youth squad.

The Lancashire Playing Fields Association, which has close links with the County Council, will host the event. LPFA president, Peter Wakeling, said: "These talented young people have worked hard at their sport and have made sacrifices in order to put in the time they require to become champions. I applaud their commitment which is an example of what this generation is actually achieving."

Anthony Parkinson Astley Village, Chorley. Anthony has a brown belt and soon hopes to change it for a black one. He proudly wears his colours around his judo suit. In September he put a lot of young judo athletes in their places when he won Silver at the National Junior Judo Championships in London. A reward for this result has been a place in the British Judo Junior team. In a busy diary Anthony also has to find time to visit the Preston Artificial Limb Centre when he needs a new artificial foot.

Anthony is 17 and a pupil at Preston College. Over the last three years he has won a Gold medal in Lancashire competitions, a Lakeland under 19 Bronze medal and a silver at the North West Counties Championships. His coach Mike Liptrot says" He is the best fighter in his age band for the North West and has the potential to become the best in Britain."