A FORMER John Masefield High School pupil has been awarded a Young Sportsperson Award by Malvern Gazette/Ledbury Reporter's sister paper, the Hereford Times.

Nerys Hamlett, aged 19, and currently a student at Greenwich University, was presented with the award at Hereford Blind Institute last week at the Herefordshire Sports Council's 21st annual presentation.

The Ted Woodriffe Award was established in honour of the former sports editor of the Hereford Times and is presented annually to a young sports person who has shown promise and achievement and is deserving of encouragement in achieving their ambitions.

Nerys was chosen because of her outstanding progress in hockey and given a trophy and a plaque plus a £250 bursary.

Her mother, Margaret, from Colwall, said Nerys plays for the West of England and is a member of the Welsh Under 21 Squad.

"This award really just came out of the blue," she said.

"We are very proud of her achievement, especially as she only took up hockey when she started at John Masefield."

Nerys, who is studying for a BA in PE and sport, plays in the goalie position and is in the middle of doing trials to play for Wales.

If she's successful she'll go on one of the team tours to Ireland or Argentina.

"She was chosen to play for Wales before and she was about to leave for the Croatia tour but war broke out two days before she was due to leave and, of course, they couldn't go," said Mrs Hamlett.

Other sports people who received awards on the night from guest star Olympic medallist Simon Archer were the Bromyard Bowmen, who won the Club of the Year award, and Storridge windsurfer Guy Solven, whose successful exploits at national and international level last year, gained him highly commended in the Junior Sportsperson of the Year category.

Bromyard wheelchair tennis international Janet McMorran was the Disabled Sportsperson award winner.