VETERAN fundraiser Brian Hunter has been honoured with a new award to recognise diabetes sufferers who have achieved personal success.

Mr Hunter, from Sedgefield, has overcome his condition to raise thousands of pounds for charity.

The runner and long-distance fell walker began doing sponsored walks when he was first diagnosed as having diabetes in 1980, at the age of 46.

He finally hung up his fundraising boots last year, after completing his last great challenge -to scale three Italian volcanoes, including Mount Etna.

Mr Hunter is one of the first recipients of the new Outstanding Achievement and Recognition Awards.

The award scheme has been spearheaded by Olympic rowing star Sir Steve Redgrave, who also has diabetes, and backed by Diabetes UK, which has branches throughout the North-East.

The public were asked to nominate individuals to receive the awards, which were judged by a panel of luminaries who chose eight regional winners.

Mr Hunter has won the Northern region award. He will attend a presentation ceremony at the House of Commons today.

The 67-year-old said he was shocked to be chosen and was humbled by the award.

Mr Hunter has never sought any reward for his fundraising efforts and says he has consistently tried to educate fellow diabetes sufferers and their carers on the best ways to live with the condition.

He said: "My motivation has always come from my childhood when, as an eight-year-old boy, I was present at my mother's death at the age of 42 from the last of a series of strokes brought on by the long term effects of diabetes.

"My sister died almost the same way, at 37 years, through almost the same reason."

Mr Hunter said of the award: "Although still a little bemused by it all, I am as chuffed as a cheery chip."