A CHARITY established by a Thurrock couple was honoured with a top award from a county-wide media organisation - and a borough student also picked up an accolade.

The Friends of Essex and London Homeless is a charity that originally worked solely in London, but now hosts a regular soup kitchen and meeting point in Grays.

It was founded by by Purfleet couple Cheryl and Steven Stuart and at Essex TV awards it was named as the county's charity of the year.

Also honoured as Sportsperson of the Year was USP Palmer's College teenage motor racing driver Emily Linscott the talented youngster has proven herself to be a worthy winner, having taken podium places both sides of the Atlantic in Formula Race Cars and GT cars her in the UK, even winning back to back races at the last round of the season at Brands Hatch.

She them followed that up by winning the title of Active Basildon's "Young Sports Personality of the Year" just two weeks ago.

Thurrock Mayor Cllr Terry Piccolo was among the civic dignitaries who presented the awards.