A 14-year-old schoolgirl has won an award for improving life in Great Lever.

Melissa Christie joined the Stepping Stones and Holmeswood Kidz Zone youth club 18 months ago.

Since then, the Ladybridge High pupil has been busy with a number of projects, including helping to clear the area of graffiti by providing special boards for local artists to work on.

Now her hard work has been recognised with the Bolton Literacy Trust achievement award.

The award is sponsored by the Bolton Evening News and given to individuals who have encouraged numeracy, literacy or IT development in their community.

Melissa's mother Carol Christie, her grandmother Maureen Higson and her 13-year-old brother Adam were at the presentation.

Mrs Christie said: "There are a lot of young people in Great Lever who are very passionate about their area and have started doing something to help.

"We are very proud of Melissa."

As well as being involved in community clean-ups, Melissa is on the local young persons' consultation group and earlier this year won the Don Eastwood Trophy awarded by the town's Youth Service.

Ian McEwen, the area youth worker who nominated Melissa for the Literacy Trust award, said: "She is a very competent, confident, community-minded young woman - an asset to Great Lever."

As for Melissa, her assessment of her work so far is simple: "It's good fun!"