A BIG-HEARTED sixth former who spends his spare time helping disabled children and elderly people has won a youth award for his efforts.

Anthony Watson, 17, a pupil at Blackpool Sixth Form College, was given the award after competing in the tough regional finals of the Lions International Youth Award competition.

The honour is given to a young person who shows exceptional commitment in contributing to the community in which he or she lives.

As the overall regional winner, Anthony has won £500 for the charities he helps and will go into the next stage of the competition, to be held in Birmingham.

Anthony got involved with community work last year when he started helping with elderly residents at Pilling Nursing Home.

He found it so satisfying that when he saw an advertisement by the Fylde disabled charity PipLink looking for helpers, he decided to volunteer.

Since then, he has been linked with a boy who suffers from cerebral palsy.

Anthony spends time with him regularly and takes him to a local scout group.

The £500 prize will go to buy PipLink a three-wheeled trike, specially designed so that a disabled person and an able-bodied person can ride on it together, and a special stand for the residents of Pilling Nursing Home.

Anthony said: "I am very pleased about winning this award. It is brilliant and my mum and dad are very proud of me.

"But most of all I enjoy the work that I do in the community.

"It is very satisfying at PipLink to see the difference in the disabled children after we have spent time with them.

"I am doing my A Levels at college and I would like to be a doctor.

"I would really like to go into surgery, but I think community work is something I will always stay involved with."

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