THREE pensioners have been commended for their good work in the community.

Jean Little, Betty Heskett and Joan Etherington belong to the fundraising group, the Whitbread Pensioners.

The leisure firm has given each of the volunteers a Whitbread Award for Volunteer Effort.

Mrs Little, of Houghton-le-Spring, was given £100 in recognition of her work for Save the Children, for which she organises car boot sales and coffee evenings.

Mrs Etherington got £100 for providing classroom support at a school in Sunderland, where the money will fund days out.

Mrs Heskett was given £150 for helping the Sunderland Mastectomy Group, which supports women suffering from breast cancer.