A TEENAGE travel agent has won an award after just a month in the job.

Travelcare employee Stacey Ritchie has earned her branch the Top of the Shops award from a trade magazine.

The 18-year-old, who works in the Redcar branch, served a mystery client who was investigating the store and their service on behalf of Travel Trade Gazette.

Undercover researchers from the magazine visited the store to inspect quality of service, the overall appearance of the shop and the agent's knowledge of the destination.

Three other Redcar travel agents, Thompson, Going Places and Dawson and Sanderson, were visited in the same week.

But after Stacie's helpful advice and friendly nature, Travelcare was picked out for the quality of its service.

She was asked about a 14-night trip to Morocco for four adults in September in a traditional bed and breakfast.

Impressed by Stacie's efforts, the client said: "She was charming, helpful and nothing was too much trouble for her."

Stacey said yesterday: "The same client came back in a short time later and I asked if she was going to go ahead with the holiday.

"But when she pulled out her clipboard and said I'd won an award for my service I was stunned.

"I'm still a trainee and didn't expect to win anything quite so soon. But I love the job and treat all my customers the same."