SCHOOL cook Christine Underwood has finished top of the class.

The 44-year-old, who works at Willington CE Primary School, near Bishop Auckland, has been crowned number one employee of Compass Group (Government Services Division), beating 17,000 entrants.

She was up against people who work in NAFFIs, police stations, prisons and the private sector as well as colleagues who work for Scolarest, the education catering company within the Compass Group.

Mrs Underwood was declared the winner and presented with £1,000 worth of travel vouchers at a ceremony at RAF Halton, near Wolverhampton.

She said: "I think it is fantastic. I cannot wait to spend the vouchers. I will be going with my husband Bob and it will be somewhere hot but I don't know where we are going yet.''

The judges chose Mrs Underwood after hearing she was already a star in her own community.

Catering manager Kathleen Smith nominated Mrs Underwood. She said: "Everyone goes to Christine with their problems and nothing is too much trouble for her.

"She is a caring friend to the children and their parents as well as her neighbours. For instance, she felt that some parents were deserving of qualifying for free school meals for their children. So she went to Bishop Auckland for the forms, helped them fill them in and then returned them.

"She has the welfare of everyone at heart and we are all tremendously proud that she has won this award.''