A TEENAGER from Moulton is celebrating after achieving the highest award possible for a Girl Guide.

Three years of hard work paid off for 19-year-old Emma Smith, who was presented with a prestigious Queen's Guide Award at a ceremony in Leftwich yesterday, Tuesday.

Emma, of Summerfield Drive, had to prove herself through a variety of different guiding-related challenges and activities, including spending two weeks teaching English to a group of children in the Czech Republic.

She said: "I taught the younger age group, the youngest was eight and the oldest 12, and it was really, really good - it was the best part of the award.

"I also did a project on recycling and helped set up a recycling scheme with a local Guide unit here."

Emma, a former pupil at The Grange School in Hartford, is currently studying primary education with maths at Leeds University and is relieved that she has finally achieved the award after three years of juggling it with A-levels and starting university.

But Emma admits that it was the challenging nature of the award that attracted her to it.

She said: "There are quite a lot of awards for us to do, but I wanted to do this one because it was more interesting and there was more to it - this one took more work."

Proud mum Susan said: "She's learned things like leadership skills and the life experience will hold her in good stead."

Emma was presented with the award by the County Commissioner at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Leftwich.