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Weekly reporter scoops diversity award

A weekly news reporter has won an award which recognises young journalists from diverse backgrounds.

Nazia Dewji, left, who is a reporter on the Surrey Comet, won Young Journalist of the Year at the GG2 Leadership Awards in London.

The award, which recognises journalists from an ethnic minority who are under 30, includes a £500 bursary and the chance for the winner to carry out work experience with the Daily Mail.

Nazia, who joined the Comet in March 2012 after completing an NCTJ accredited masters in journalism at Brunel University in 2011, said she was pleased her work has been recognised.

“I was really overwhelmed and surprised when I won,” she told HTFP.

“My dad had to tell me to get up and go and get the award after my name was read out.

“I don’t think anyone really thinks about awards when they’re going out to get stories that hopefully interest readers and matter to people, but it’s nice to be recognised.”

Nazia studied journalism with psychology at City University and graduated in 2010 before starting her NCTJ course.

“Luckily I work for a paper that has lots of interesting things going on and I’m really grateful to be able to cover a lot of these,” she added.

There were 10 prizes in total to be handed out at the awards ceremony, which celebrate talent and diversity in multicultural Britain.