Southern Daily Echo journalist Jeremy Wilson has won a prestigious national prize for his sports writing.

The South Coast writer was named Regional Sports Writer of the Year after winning over judges at the British Sports Journalism awards.

His series of articles, which included a feature on how former Southampton and England football player Danny Wallace is coping with Multiple Sclerosis, and an exposé on a local team made up of members of the BNP, beat shortlisted entries from writers from the Western Daily Press, Liverpool Daily Post and Yorkshire Evening Post.

The 28-year-old travelled to London to collect his winner’s trophy at a dinner in the West End, and rubbed shoulders with high-profile sports personalities such as Ian Botham, Bobby Charlton and Matthew Pinsent.

Jeremy said: “I was surprised but very pleased to win.

“Danny Wallace was also there, which was nice. You are only as good as your subjects and his is an inspirational story.”

Among the other winners on the night was Duncan Mackay of the Observer, who was named Sports Writer of the Year, and Tom Jenkins from The Guardian who was crowned Sports Photographer of the Year for the second year running.

Organised by the Sports Journalists’ Association of Great Britain and supported by UK Sport, the awards are judged by a distinguished panel of judges, including former Minister for Sport Lord Moynihan, the Press Association’s head of sport, Andy Elliott, and former editor of Press Gazette, Philippa Kennedy.