HUNDREDS of women united to celebrated the new Rossendale woman of the year, North West Ambulance volunteer Dawn Taylor .

A shortlist of three finalists was drawn up in the borough’s prestigious award which took place at Nino’s restaurant in Rawtenstall yesterday.

Last year’s winner Sylvia Lancaster, a campaigner against hate crime whose daughter Sophie was murdered, handed the accolade over at the ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Rossendale Hospice manager Irene Smith, who helped organise the event, paid tribute to the winner.

She said: “Dawn has served as a First Responder since 2004, and is one of the few people who would know exactly what to do if someone collapsed suddenly with heart problems.

“Dawn has raised over £2,000 for the hospice fund and has really impacted the community.

“She is excellent at her job and I wish she was living next to me.”

Dawn, who has recently progressed as a trainer for the first responder team in East Lancashire, has trained 208 Rossendale people basic life support skills.

After receiving the award, she said: “I am absolutely delighted with this award and to be honest it has left me speechless.

“Every person that was nominated is such a worthy candidate, so its means so much to win.

“I would love to see more families sign up for the heart-start training in Rossendale.

“Special mention has to go to the staff at the Hospice who organised the competition for the wonderful work they do for everybody.”

Dianne Oxbury, who presents the weather on BBC1, was a special guest at the event and paid tribute to each candidate.

Patricia Dearden, who works alongside Burnley audio department to help people with hearing difficulties, and Maria Stansfield, who campaigns to raise funds for breast cancer, were the two other finalists.

All funds raised at the event were donated to Rossendale Hospice.