DARLINGTON & Stockton Times' reporter Miss Alison Lewis won two major awards in passing her national journalism examination.

Miss Lewis, who works in our Thirsk office, passed her National Council for the Training of Journalists' national certificate.

In doing so she was awarded the Ted Bottomley award for the best paper in the newspaper practice section of the exam and the Eric Dobson award for the best entry from a candidate employed by a North-East newspaper.

Miss Lewis, a former pupil at Thirsk school, took the examination along with 220 young journalists throughout the country.

The editor of the D&S Times, Mr Malcolm Warne, said: "Alison's achievement is remarkable because she took the exam only 18 months after starting her career.

"She has worked very hard and we are delighted for her.