A COMMUNITY-spirited teenager who devotes hundreds of hours to helping other youngsters was officially recognised last night.

Rachel West, from Bromley Cross, was presented with her Bolton Young Citizen of the Year award at the final of the Greater Manchester Police competition.

She competed against 11 other teenagers for the regional title but did not win the first prize.

Rachel won a place in the final after the judges heard about her voluntary work at the charity-run club, Zac's, where she works every Friday and Saturday evening.

She has donated a £100 prize that she won last night to Zac's bar. Rachel also received a trophy and certificate from the police at the ceremony in the Thistle Hotel in Manchester. She also was given a range of gifts from sponsors of the awards ceremony.

Rachel was supported at the awards event by the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Cllr Kevan Helsby and Cllr Alice Kilcoyne, and Supt Stewart Bailey of Astley Bridge police.

Rachel also helps at the disabled club run at the youth centre during the summer holidays and volunteers at Birtenshaw Special School.

The teenager, who hopes to become a special needs teacher, is also a Sunday School teacher at Birtenshaw Methodist Church and works part-time at Bolton Central Library. The money she earns from that job sponsors a 12-year-old child in India.