YEARS of hard work by a Pewsey woman promoting the sport of orienteering to Wiltshire schoolchildren has been recognised, after she was presented with the British Orienteering Coach of the Year award.

Liz Yeadon, of Broomcroft Road, received the accolade at the British Orienteering's annual general meeting at Brunel University from Judith Holt, the chairman of its board of directors.

When Mrs Yeadon, who has worked alongside primary schools across Wiltshire to deliver a series of training and competition events through Sarum Orienteering Club, found out she had won the award she was astounded.

"I was completely astonished. It was so unexpected. I am however very pleased to have won the award and I want to thank all the people that nominated me," she said.

"I have a great team to work with and I really do enjoy the work we do. I feel the award is not just for me, it is for the club as a whole.

"The club is really well run with 90 members and there is a good mix of ages, from as young as seven, right up to 90. I am looking forward to another 10 years for certain."

Mrs Yeadon encourages schoolchildren to participate in bigger scale mainstream orienteering events and has promoted a plan for Sarum Orienteering Club to launch weekly fitness and skills training for juniors, which the club hopes will begin this summer.

The Salisbury-based club has a training evening on the third Tuesday of every month. For more information see https://sarumo.org.uk/