A PRESTON student who won the title Cadet of the Year for Lancashire, has been to Buckingham Palace to pick up her trophy.

Samantha Parker, of Glenluce Drive, near Farringdon Park, was picked for the St John Ambulance accolade after making a presentation to a panel of judges and being interviewed about her work with the local unit.

And part of her prize involved meeting Princess Anne.

Samantha, 16, said: "All the cadets who attended marched through the gate at Buckingham Palace and into a reception room where we were served drinks and little sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Princess Anne then greeted us all individually and she was wearing a St John uniform."

She said that the Princess Royal asked her about the competition and how difficult it had been and Samantha had told her that it was fairly competitive.

Samantha, a former Fulwood High School pupil, has been in a first aider since 1997 when her stepmum Denise encouraged her to join.

"I have studied for seven qualifications including fire-fighting -- where I had to go into a smoke filled house and rescue dummies," said Samantha who is also a keen snowboarder.

All this activity doesn't seem to tire her as she is currently studying four A-levels in Psychology, Maths, Law and Geography at Cardinal Newman College on Lark Hill Road. "I am not sure about my future. I might study criminology at University or work for BAE -- which is where my boyfriend Andrew is completing his apprenticeship," she said.

Samantha plans to keep up the good work on all accounts and continue with St John Ambulance.