LONG-SERVING North-East prison lecturer Frances Elliott is to receive an award from the Princess Royal for her work with inmates.

Ms Elliott will be awarded with a certificate from the Butler Trust, in recognition of her tireless work with prisoners at Deerbolt Young Offenders Institution, near Barnard Castle, County Durham.

The award scheme recognises outstanding contributions to the care and resettlement of inmates by staff at prisoners around the country.

Ms Elliott will be presented with her award during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Friday, and will be joined by 33 other tutors and lecturers from across the country.

Since she began the volunteer tutor and mentor scheme in Deerbolt's Baliol Learning Centre, 13 years ago, she has recruited 200 tutors and worked with 900 students.

Working one-to-one, the scheme has helped many inmates improve numeracy and literacy skills, helping them find jobs on release.