VOLUNTEERS who have made an outstanding contribution to their community are in line for top awards.

Rossendale Hospice fund-raisers Sheila Townson and Susan Troughton have been nominated for the Whitbread Volunteer Action Awards 2000.

Sheila, 57, of Milton Close, Helmshore, also helps at a centre which provides a safe environment for children under court order to meet with their parents. Susan, of Goodshaw Avenue, Loveclough, helps organise the annual Rossendale Valley Motorbike Show, which drew 30,000 visitors last year and raised more than £8,000 for local charities.

They are being considered for the North West regional award section of the prestigious awards.

If successful, they will go forward to the national award ceremony in London, where they will meet Princess Michael of Kent.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.