A Northallerton College A-level student has won a Millennium Volunteer of the Year award to recognise his commitment to the environment.

Gordon Nixon, from Great Smeaton, received the accolade for the Yorkshire and Humberside region at a ceremony in Leeds.

The 16-year old began his volunteer work two years ago through the Government's Millennium Volunteer scheme, which seeks to increase the number of young volunteers.

He said: "I have always been interested in the environment. We are destroying it and we have to live in it. I would like to live in a nice environment, so I think it is important."

Among the projects Gordon is working on is the creation of a bio-diversity wetland area three miles from Northallerton in association with local farmer William Osbourne.

Gordon said: "We are transforming a field into a bio-diversity site for different kinds of life. It has a pond area for fish, a marsh area for dragonflies and an area for insects."

As part of the five-year project, which is in its second year, trees will be planted and the volunteers are preparing a trench for a hedgerow.

Gordon is also involved with recycling the college's paper and cans and actively promotes the environment as a student council and charities committee member.

With the other Millennium Volunteers, he has helped to improve community environments by painting murals in doctors' surgeries, nursing homes and other community buildings.

Two other volunteers from the college, Kathy Longstaff and Natalie Williams, attended the ceremony as nominees for the care, support and mentoring award.

The girls spent time caring for an autistic child when the child's mother was admitted to hospital.

Gordon said: "I was ecstatic to win. I thought if anyone from the college won, it would be Kathy and Natalie.

"All three of us enjoy volunteering and help out with whatever we can. You get a lot out of volunteering - you gain confidence, learn new skills and make new friends."