A SELFLESS teenager, who has devoted the last couple of years to helping people in need, has been crowned Lancashire Young Person of the Year.

Student Jennifer Redman, 17, of Peartree Crescent, Walton-le-Dale, now plans to spend her £1,000 prize money on a trip to Uganda to help poor children.

The trip will be just one of a number of volunteering activities Jennifer has undertaken in the past two-and-a-half years.

In her spare time the Runshaw College student has helped out at a children's club, taught modern dance at a Sunday school and raised funds for a number of charities.

"It is great honour to receive this prize and to have been nominated by the people who I work with.

"I've been given a prize just for doing something I find really enjoyable," said Jennifer, who was chosen in front of 60 other nominees for the award.

In addition to the prize money, donated by Lancashire County Council's economic development company, Jennifer also gets £500 of JJB Sports vouchers.

Local comedian and contest judge Dave Spikey said: "Jennifer's actions display a remarkable willingness to devote so much of her time to helping others in so many ways.

"She shows real social responsibility." As well as studying for four A-levels, Jennifer also works in a building society, does the book-keeping for her father's landscape gardening business, and is a member of the finance team at her church Cavalry Christian Fellowship in Lostock Hall.

She intends to visit Uganda this summer for two weeks with a group from her church prior to studying medicine at university in the hope of returning to Africa in the future as a doctor.

Jennifer will be formally handed her prizes at a special ceremony in two months time.