A WOMAN who overcame a severe eating disorder to inspire others has won a national Volunteer of the Year award.

In the past year, 25-year-old, Angela Hall won a place at Northumbria University, to study occupational therapy, and was chosen from thousands of Barnardo's volunteers to become the Marsh Trust Barnardo Volunteer of the Year.

Her success is all the more remarkable considering three years ago she was so ill with an eating disorder that she weighed only four-and-a-half stone and a hospital consultant told her if she did not get help she would not live to see Christmas.

Miss Hall, of Hartlepool, said: "I was shocked by what the consultant told me. The day they put a tube in to feed me was one of the worst days of my life.

"My dad was crying and I'd never seen him crying before."

The experience made her determined to get well and help other young people in the same situation.

After coming out of hospital, she volunteered to spend one afternoon a week at the Barnardo's B76 project, in Hartlepool, supporting young people suffering from eating disorders.

She said: "I found it hard because it brought back memories of when I was very ill, but it was also very helpful because it reminded me of how far I'd come and that I didn't want to go back there."

She has decided to donate £100 of the £500 prize money to Barnardo's, and use the rest to buy books and other essentials for her course.

Marine Yates, project leader at B76 said: "We've seen her grow and blossom and we're really proud that she's got from where she was to where she is now.