A WORCESTERSHIRE fund-raiser has won a top charity award for her work.

Sue Medcalf, community fund-raiser for Cancer Research UK, scooped one of the charity's leadership behaviour awards after helping develop what she hopes will become one of the biggest fund-raising events in the region - Relay for Life.

Sue also smashed her fund-raising target by 23 per cent last year, helping Worcestershire volunteers raise £442,000 for Cancer Research UK's groundbreaking research projects.

She said: "I am delighted to have won this award and totally shocked. I would like to thank all my committees, local organisers, supporters and volunteers for their support as well as my colleagues for their contribution and nominations.

"Being recognised by the directors of Cancer Research UK for the work I do is both motivating and humbling."

The accolade follows months of hard work developing the charity's new Relay for Life project.

Organisers hope it will bring the community together in one location for up to 24 hours to celebrate the strides being made to cure cancer faster.

As part of the event, teams of people from all sections of the community take turns to walk, run, skip or crawl around a track in a relay following an opening lap of honour by cancer survivors.

This year there will be more than 40 Relay for Life events taking place across the country in a bid to raise more than £800,000. The first ever Midlands Relay takes place at the Abbey Stadium, in Redditch, on Saturday, September 9.

Serena Daw, community fund-raising manager for Cancer Research UK, said: "Sue's award represents her great passion for her role, our supporters and her exceptional work on Relay for Life. Sue also represents the excellent quality of our fund-raisers in the Midlands."

To find out more about Cancer Research UK or Relay for Life contact Sue on 01527 596529.