The revelation that a henchman of brutal Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe was working in a Bristol care home helped earn the Young Journalist of the Year award for the Bristol Post’s Emily Koch.

Emily also secured an exclusive interview with the best friend of murdered landscape architect Jo Yeates, ahead of the national pack.

The Young Journalist award was sponsored by HoldtheFrontPage for the second year running.

Emily was the unanimous choice of the five-person panel of judges chaired by HoldtheFrontPage publisher Paul Linford.

Emily Koch receives her award from HTFP publisher Paul Linford. Picture by Nick Carter of Magstar

Said Emily:  “I was shocked to be shortlisted so to win it is an absolute honour.

“I wasn’t ready to make a speech but if I had made one I would have said a massive thank you to the team at the Post who have trained me up from work experience to what I do today.”

Added Paul: “We were particularly keen to support this award again this year because it is such a showcase for up-and-coming talent within the industry.

“Emily is no stranger to awards having previously won at both the NCTJ Awards for Excellence and the EDF Energy South West Media Awards so she is a very worthy winner of this accolade.”