TWO Blackpool and The Fylde College students have won awards recognising their achievements in the college and the community.

Lisa Young and Daniel McEvilly were named NCFE Student of the Year and Blackpool's Young Person of the Year at separate award ceremonies.

A Blackpool and The Fylde College spokesman said Lisa, who received her award at Newcastle's NCFE centre, was nominated for the regional awards by her tutor Lesley McCartney because she showed "outstanding commitment" to her studies.

The spokesman added: "Lisa faced real difficulties when deciding to go back into education as she grew up in a travelling community and had very little education as a child."

Lisa decided to study for certificates in special needs support before landing a job with Lancashire County Council working with travellers.

Lisa said: "Working with the travelling community is very rewarding, it gives me the opportunity to give people help and advice that I didn't receive as a child."

And she was "surprised and delighted" by the award. "I didn't think I would win -- there were other people there who deserved it just as much as me. I had lots of encouragement from my tutor, Lesley. I don't think I could have done it without her," she said.

Fellow student Daniel McEvilly was named Blackpool's Young Person of the Year at the town's Winter Gardens after overcoming a series of traumatic life events.

Daniel was born prematurely, weighing just 1lb 3oz, and he suffered severe hearing and speech difficulties until he was seven years old. Tragically his mother was killed in a car crash when he was just nine.

But, according to a college spokesman, Daniel never lost his ambition. "Daniel has always wanted to be a personal sports trainer and in the summer holidays he did voluntary work at his local sports centre and youth club," she said.

"He then became a junior sports leader and over the last summer holidays he achieved his Community Sports Leader award. He is now studying Sports Therapy at Blackpool and The Fylde College's Ansdell Campus."

And she said Daniel, who was also named Mereside's young person of the year in November, was "very pleased and proud" to have been nominated by Mereside Community Centre leaders.

Daniel's college tutor Brian Porter said: "Daniel is a very enthusiastic member of the course and I am sure he will be very successful in the future. He is a most deserving winner of this prestigious award."