A freelance journalist has achieved a rare double after landing second major award for her investigation into child detention.

Clare Sambrook, who had already won the Paul Foot Award for expose of the detention of children within the immigration system, has now added the Bevins Prize as well.

The prize, launched two years ago, is designed to honour ground-breaking investigative journalism and is named in honour of former lobby journalist Tony Bevins who began his career at the Liverpool Echo.

The London Evening Standard’s David Cohen was shortlisted in both awards for his successful campaign to raise £5m to combat poverty in the capital, but lost out both times.

Clare’s reports were carried on the website openDemocracy and its UK section, OurKingdom.

She said: “Anthony Bevins set a terrific example of journalism keeping a distance from power, finding his own stories with tenacity and a sense of mischief. I am stunned to find my name linked to his.

“This is especially welcome to the campaign at a time when the government has completely reneged on its commitment to end child detention.”

The Bevins Prize, also known as the Rat Up a Drainpipe Award, has previously been won by Deborah Haynes of The Times and Paul Lewis of The Guardian.