A WOMAN who works with victims of domestic abuse in Darlington has had her work recognised with a national award.

Wendy Collins travelled to London to collect the Crisis Changing Lives Support Worker of the Year prize.

The award was presented by MP Caroline Spellman, shadow secretary of state for communities and local government.

Mrs Collins, who works for charity Carr-Gomm with Darlington Borough Council, beat 11 other finalists, from 312 applicants, to win the prize.

"I am absolutely delighted," she said. "The whole process was a complete surprise to me. I must stress, though, that it has been as a result of a team effort. "Everyone in the domestic abuse service and our partners in the police and housing teams, work incredibly hard and the whole team deserve the recognition for this success."

Mrs Collins' efforts were rewarded even more when the client she had been nominated for working with - a Darlington mother of five - went on to open her own business.