A TIRELESS organiser who established a popular annual award ceremony was astonished to be rewarded with a prestigious prize herself.

Margaret Gillibrand, East Lancashire's regional representative for the National Operatic and Dramatic Association, was presented with the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's Curtain Raiser Award at East Lancashire's own Oscars ceremony.

Editor Peter Butterfield said: "I am really pleased to honour her this year. This award has never been more richly deserved. The back stage and front of house people don't usually get the credit but without them, the show just could not go on."

Margaret, of Copster Green, Ribble Valley, was a talented singer with several societies, including Hyndburn Bel Canto and was chairman of St Mary's AODS, Oswaldtwistle before becoming the NODA representative 13 years ago.

David Lewis, of NODA, said: "She started the awards 11 years ago to try and improve standards on the amateur stage and they have been extremely successful. She is very hard-working and she's been involved with every aspect of the stage."

Societies from all over East Lancashire were rewarded with trophies at the glittering event at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel last night. Full details of winners will be published in Tuesday's Curtain Raiser.

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