Laura Duffy from Riddlesden is the first student in the country to scoop Shell UK's Best Community Project prize.

She has joined an elite group of top students who have received an award from Shell UK's prestigious Step community programme.

The 20-year-old from Southfield Way was presented with the award for a project she completed with the help of Keighley Business Forum (KBF).

Laura spent her summer holidays this year developing the ingenious waste exchange database with the business forum.

Liaising with members of the local business community, she compiled a database which matched up local companies disposing of waste materials with organisations which could use such materials in their process.

And she received her just reward with a certificate and cheque for £750, which were presented to her at a prestigious ceremony in London's Mill-ennium Centre.

"It's absolutely brilliant," says a delighted Laura. "I've put in so much hard work over the last eight weeks, it was really nice to get something for it." Laura is now preparing to start the third and final year of her Medical Biochemistry degree at Birmingham Univers-ity.

KBF director Iain Copping says: "After a lot of hard work she has done superbly well, and the piece of work she has done is excellent and very professional." Oil giants Shell UK organise the Step programme to encourage students to develop more sustainable methods of business production.

Laura is a former pupil of Grange Middle School, where her proud mum Susan still teaches.

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