OLYMPIC hopeful Angie Winstanley-Smith has collected an honour for her sporting prowess.

Angie, 16, from Newton Aycliffe, was named North-East winner in the OCS Group Young Sportsperson of the Year awards.

She has had a very successful year, winning the national age group 100 metre backstroke title and representing Great Britain.

She has also represented her country at water polo and was player of the tournament in a recent international competition in the Netherlands.

Angie travelled in style to London for the awards ceremony this week, courtesy of sponsor GNER.

She was accompanied by Steve Harness, headteacher at Woodham Community Technology Community College where she was a pupil until summer.

Although she did not win the national award, Sports Minister Richard Caborn presented Angie with a cheque for £1,750 for winning the regional prize, which will go towards her training programme.

Mr Harness said: "Angie enjoyed a tremendous day. She had lunch with Trevor Brooking and received her award from the minister.

"We are all tremendously proud of her. She got all of her GCSEs, as well as fitting in all her training -I don't know how she does it."

Angie, who is studying at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington, has recently been named in the elite Gold Group for Olympic preparation.

Her coach, John Moore, believes she has a good chance of making the 2002 Commonwealth Games and 2004 Olympics.