HAY-making time was an appropriate season for the winner of a £500 conservation prize to receive her award.

Pippa Rayner, who began work a year ago as hay time officer in the Yorkshire Dales, won the Ken Willson Award, given to someone under 30 who has contributed greatly to the dales.

Miss Rayner, who works for the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, was chosen for protecting and enhancing the environment and helping people to understand and enjoy the natural history of hay meadows.

She received a cheque from Malcom Petyt, chairman of the Yorkshire Dales Society, and Hilary Fenten, Craven branch chairman of the Council to Protect Rural England.

Miss Rayner, from Settle, said: "I am delighted to win the award as I already feel that I am very lucky to have such a fantastic job in a beautiful area.

"I have had a great year meeting dales farmers who are keen to increase the wildlife value of their meadows and I have been impressed with their interest in the project."

The £483,000 Hay Time project was set up by the trust and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority to conserve species-rich hay meadows and restore degraded meadows.