Animal cruelty campaigner Lynne Coates has won a prestigious award to enable her to take part in an American eco-project.

Mrs Coates, a former fashion designer and mother of two, is a photography student at Bradford College.

Passionate about animal welfare, she has campaigned through the European Parliament and in this country against what she says are the barbaric practices of travelling circuses.

She has now been awarded a place on the Earthwatch team researching the deer population in a Virginia national park.

To be considered for the research programme, she had to submit a written proposal outlining the contribution she could make to the project, and the way in which she could benefit Earthwatch after her return to the UK.

The organisers felt that her involvement with animal and wildlife issues, combined with her photography skills, made her a valuable member of the team.

And they have awarded her £250 towards the cost of taking part under a scholarship award scheme.

"I really enjoyed the excitement of the designer fashion world, but after eight years felt that I had had enough and really wanted to do something worthwhile," said Mrs Coates, who used to run her fashion business from home in Leeds but now lives near Otley.

"Through my photography, I have been able to highlight terrible animal abuse issues, and hope to continue this work. My ultimate aim on completion of my course, is to become a freelance travel or wildlife photographer."

She will be taking part in the Shenandoah Wildlife project in Virginia, joining a team made up of conservationists and volunteers from around the world, led by zoology professor Dr William McShea. The project is affiliated to the famous Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

Some of her animal photographs will be on display alongside shots by other Bradford College students as part of a new exhibition at the Design Exchange, Little Germany, from tomorrow called Images from 21.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.