STUDENT David Rushmere has been voted a craft group's champion volunteer after he made dozens of lengthy trips to help its members.

He has made the many trips in the past eight years to help men and women in the Craft Works project at Barnard Castle, County Durham.

He started when he was 14, making regular trips from his home, near Ripon, during his school holidays to take part in craft and garden projects.

He continued when he became a law student at Sheffield University, and the journeys became even longer, and he has vowed to continue when he begins his legal career. During his latest visit, Mr Rushmere, 22, presented the group with a cheque for £135, which he raised in the Sheffield half-marathon.

Craft Works manager Anne Noble said: "David is an amazing young man. He must have travelled thousands of miles over the years just to help us."

He began helping out because his mother, Christine Rushmere, has been a long-standing friend of Mrs Noble.

He said: "It is an excellent group which does a lot of fine work, so I feel it a privilege to give some time and effort to it."