A SPA student is among ten young people who have been shortlisted for West Mercia police's Good Citizen of the Year award.

The force's overall Good Citizen of the Year will be announced by the chief constable, Paul West, at a gala awards ceremony, which will be held at force headquarters, Hindlip Hall, near Worcester, on Thursday, October 4.

Samantha Spencer, aged 13, is a pupil at Droitwich Spa High School.

Samantha is a keen volunteer and fundraiser. She completed a sponsored walk, while in plaster, for diabetes and raised more than £1,000 for the local mayor's charities - Home Start and Age Concern.

Samantha is also an ambassador for St Richard's Hospice, representing the group on her school's charity committee and encouraging the school to participate in fundraising activities.

She is one of two people shortlisted in the South Worcestershire division.

Now in their tenth year the annual awards, which were launched in 1987, recognise acts of outstanding community spirit, generosity and courage by young people.

Nomination forms were sent to schools across the force area and were also available to download on the force's website.

In order to be eligible for nomination the acts of good citizenship must have taken place between May 27, 2006, and May 25, 2007.

All those shortlisted for the Good Citizen of the Year award will receive a prize and £50. The young person judged to have made the most significant contribution to their community will be named Good Citizen of the Year and will receive an extra £100 in cash, which is to be shared equally with a charity of their choice, as well as a trophy.

PC Taryn Green, who has organised the awards this year, said: "All the young people who have been nominated for and received a good citizen award this year, have shown that they are prepared to give up their own time to make a difference to their communities.

"As always it was very difficult to select just ten people for the Good Citizen of the Year shortlist, but the divisional commanders feel the young people they have selected really stood out.

"All the nominees are thoroughly deserving and their families, friends and nominators should be very proud of them. The chief constable now has the difficult task of choosing just one person to be the overall Good Citizen of the Year, which is going to be very tough."