A VISUALLY-impaired student from North Yorkshire has proved he's a winner in the volunteering stakes.

Chris Owen, a second-year student at Henshaws College, in Harrogate, beat off competition from across the region to win the Personal Achievement Award at the Yorkshire and Humber finals of the Millennium Volunteer of the Year awards.

The awards are a celebration of youth volunteering, and students from Henshaws College, who all live with a visual impairment and additional disabilities, were nominated in several categories.

Nineteen-year-old Chris triumphed despite having to take time away from college to undergo various operations.

Tuck shop manager is one of his many volunteering roles at Henshaws, to which he devotes five hours of his own time each week.

After being presented with his award by Coronation Street Star Jack P Shepherd, Chris said: "I am over the moon. I didn't expect to win as I knew there were a lot of people in the same category.

"When my name was called out, it was a real adrenaline rush. I'm going to display my award with pride."

Henshaws student volunteer co-ordinator Asha Munn said: "Chris is well known for putting other people's disabilities before his own."