National Union of Journalists writer Tim Gopsill has won a top award in the annual TUC/Bank of Scotland Press and PR Awards.

Tim Gopsill, editor of the union’s magazine The Journalist, scooped top prize for best feature for a hard-hitting story about asylum seekers.

His article, 'Stories of Life and Death', appeared in the May 2006 issue.

Judges liked it because they felt it challenged media stereotypes about asylum seekers and refugees and was “powerful and evocative”.

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: "It is excellent that the NUJ’s work has been recognised in these awards and particularly pleasing that it is for a feature which both exposes the racism faced by asylum seekers and shows how good local journalism telling the real story of those who have been forced to flee their countries can help challenge and undermine those racist attitudes."

This is the 30th year of the competition, which is open to all member of the Trades Union Congress. A total of 25 unions took part, submitting more than 100 entries.

At the ceremony at Congress House, the TUC's London HQ, prizes were awarded across seven categories - best publication, best feature, best photograph, best illustration, best recruitment material, best campaign, and best use of electronic communication.