AN award-winning teenage volunteer has been praised by the people he has helped.

Paul Dodsworth, 17, from Tweed Place, Darlington, won £1,000 at the Tees Valley Celebration of Learning Awards at the Tall Trees, in Yarm.

He was nominated by the Darlington YMCA Millennium Volunteers project for his contribution to its work.

Joanne Nelson, from the project, said: "Staff were so impressed by his selfless attitude and his commitment to helping others, that he was the obvious person to nominate."

She said that, as a Millennium Volunteer, Paul had helped raise funds for a number of charities in in Darlington, and was also a playworker with the DASH playscheme, which is run by the Darlington Association on Disability.

"He has given up much of his free time to the playscheme and on numerous occasions has turned down paid employment due to his commitment to the project, a remarkable gesture for any young person," she added.