A WOMAN who played a key role in tackling flooding has been given a prestigious award by the Queen.

Sue O'Neill, who is originally from Darlington, works for the Environment Agency and was nominated for an MBE in the New Year's Honours list for her professional work and dedication to educating the civil engineers of the future, as well as her many community commitments.

The 57-year-old, who now lives in Huddersfield, helped tackle floods in Yorkshire in 2007 and yesterday (TUES) visited Buckingham Palace to pick up the award.

She said: "I wondered what I'd done when the letter came.

"I thought honours were only for people who'd done special things."

Mrs O'Neill is a Flood Risk Manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire and the North East, a post she has held since 2006.

David Dangerfield, Environment Agency director in Yorkshire and the North East, said: "As a Flood Risk Manager, Sue was the Environment Agency's lead representative during the floods in 2007 in South and East Yorkshire.

"Her intimate knowledge of the flood defences ensured that crucial decisions were taken calmly and with confidence.

"This approach was critical in determining decisions subsequently taken by all the local authorities and the emergency services in South Yorkshire."

As a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Mrs O'Neill takes an interest in helping aspiring engineers into the profession.

Mrs O'Neill co-chairs the Civil Engineering Industrial Advisory Board in Bradford University's School of Engineering, Design and Technology, acting as an important link between the engineering profession and academia.

She is also an active member of Lindley Methodist Church and works with 16th Huddersfield North Scout Group.

Sue is married with two grown-up children.