MODEL citizen Kirsty Sagar scooped top honours from dozens of youngsters who were nominated for the title of Lancashire's Young Citizen of the Year.

The teenager from Burnley is on a year out from Nelson and Colne College -- but she has put her spare time to good use, organising events and getting involved in the management of Burnley Boys Club.

She may be only 18, but each week she organises an old-time dance night at the boys' club and arranges taxis to collect and return the pensioners to their homes.

She was nominated for the award by Jack Bottomley, club leader. He said: "Wherever she ends up, college, university or work, they will have a gem. She will get a superb reference from me.

"She has been a very active member of Burnley Boys' Club for the past four to five years and represents the members on the management committee and on the Lancashire Association of Clubs for youth forum."

He said many of the people who attend Kirsty's ballroom dancing nights would probably not feel confident leaving home and be on their own, but because she arranges transport they attend and have a good night out.

She also runs an arts and crafts group for the younger members of the boys' club.

Jack said if she had a failing it was simply that she is modest and prefers someone else to be in the limelight.

She was presented with her award at Lancashire Police Headquarters at Hutton by Lancashire's Chief Constable Pauline Clare.

Kirsty, of Swanage Road, is a former student of St Hilda's RC High School, Burnley.

She said: "They came to video me and interview me and it was shown at Hutton. I felt great when they announced I had won because there were very good people there, who had done lots of different things."

Kirsty's proud parents, Angela and Gary, accompanied her to Hutton.

Kirsty volunteers at the boys' club five nights a week and has been nominated for an award before -- the member of the year for the Lancashire Association of Clubs for Young People -- and she was runner-up. Her sister Klayre, 15, also helps out with the dancing sessions.

Kirsty is hoping to go back to college to study and then go into social work.