A TEENAGER who led a health fact-finding visit to Japan has been honoured for her work to help fellow youngsters.

Emma Lawson, 18, of Brandon, was named the Prince's Trust Young Achiever of the Year by the trust's regional branch.

She is now looking forward to visiting South Africa later in the year, when she will spend up to five weeks taking part in a community development project.

Emma led a party of eight girls aged between 14 and 18 from the Brandon Youth Project to visit Japan to further their research into women's health issues.

The girls received a £14,000 grant from the Prince's Trust Millennium Commission to see why Japanese women have the world's healthiest lifestyles with a low teenage pregnancy rate, high life expectancy and low infant mortality.

Their visit led to recommendations to local health officials to set up a young people's health clinic in Brandon to promote healthy life-styles.

Emma helped launch the youth project three years ago to campaign for better facilities for youngsters to keep them away from crime and anti-social behaviour.

It set up a youth club in St Andrew's Chapel and helped organise sports and activity sessions at Meadowfield Leisure Centre.

She said: "When I got the invitation to go down to the awards I thought it was to get a certificate for the whole group going to Japan.

"I won it and I didn't know what to say. I was the over the moon.''

Emma, who is training to be youth worker, now goes forward to the Pride of Britain awards.