A TORY councillor who masterminded the capture of top target seats in the district and county has been recognised with a national award from the party.

Vera Tomlinson - who only became active in politics five years ago after prompting from her son Justin - has scooped the new Campaigner of the Year gong.

She has organised and managed five victorious election campaigns in the last four years, including a clean sweep of Kidderminster's Oldington and Foley Park - the most deprived ward in the county.

"It's a real honour - I can't believe it. I'm a 60-year-old woman," she said.

"I'm very pleased that an award will be coming to Wyre Forest."

Mrs Tomlinson, of Dotterel Place, Kidderminster, is the first-ever recipient of the award and won against competition from more than 600 candidates across the UK.

She puts the success of the Conservatives in unfamiliar territory down to hard work.

"We believe in working for the people.

"The people's concerns are our concerns."

She travelled to the party conference in Bournemouth earlier this month to receive her winning cup from chairman Theresa May.

And Tory politics clearly runs in her blood.

Twenty-five-year-old Justin Tomlinson was elected president of Conservative Future - a 10,000-strong group of Tory hopefuls - earlier this year and has even been tipped as a future party leader.

"He's a great motivator," she said.

"He made me feel I'm not too old to do things politically."