The National Council for the Training of Journalists has awarded its annual prize for the best public affairs examination result.

This year's winner is Emma Horrell, who completed an NCTJ course at Warwickshire College.

Now a full-time mother, she worked for BBC Gardeners' World for seven months before deciding to study full-time, and has since worked on a BBC 2 health series called 'Don't Die Young'.

The award is sponsored by LGCommunications, and was announced at the NCTJ's Public Affairs seminar in Westminster.

The event saw 26 public affairs tutors and professionals gather to discuss a variety of issues affecting their specialist area.

They also heard from speakers including Kent Messenger Group political editor Paul Francis; Ellie Greenwood, senior policy consultant for the LGA; David Kett of the NCTJ exam board; Simon Duffin of the UK's European Parliament Press Office; and Paul Raynes, Programme Director of LGA.

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