DAME Tanni Grey-Thompson and Teesside teenager Joel Fitzpatrick carried off two of the leading trophies at the third North-East Disability Sports Achievement Awards.

Sponsored by npower, the ceremony was held yesterday at the Riverside Suite at Durham County Cricket Club, where gold medal holders abounded in the keenly-fought competition for the awards.

Fiona Patterson, the development manager for the English Federation of Disability Sport North-East, opened the event.

Gary Doig, npower's community involvement executive for the North-East said: "The calibre of the nominations this year has been outstanding."

Carrying off the Young Female Achiever of the Year award was 17-year-old shot and discus gold medalist Rebecca Anson, from Westerhope, Newcastle.

The Young Male Achiever of the Year award went to Teesside gymnast Joel Fitzpatrick 17, who already has five gold medals.

The Club of the Year trophy went to Humbledon and Plains Farm Youth Football Club, in Sunderland, which has formed a winning disabled team, taking on able-bodied competition successfully.

There was a double celebration in two other categories when the Coach of the Year award went to Ros Miller, who runs the Disability Athletics Group at Gateshead Harriers, and her son, Stephen Miller, who was selected as Sportsman of the Year for his world-beating prowess in field events.

The Sportswoman of the Year award went to Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, who was unable to attend because of sporting commitments.

Her husband and manager, Ian, collected the award on her behalf and revealed that Tanni will be competing for some time to come.