FINALISTS from Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Hagley scooped prizes at the fourth Celebration of Learning Achievement Awards.

The ceremony, at Malvern's Forum Theatre, saw Droitwich's Christopher Elt take first place in the Young Learner Awards Apprentice category, while Tamar Whyte of Bromsgrove picked up the Adult Endeavour award.

Meanwhile 15-year-old Bobbie Mulrennan, from Hagley, collected her Highly Commended prize in the Young Learner category.

More than 100 entries from across Herefordshire and Worcestershire had competed for a total prize fund of more than £1,500 in the awards organised by the Learning and Skills Council for the two counties.

It was Chris Elt's love of cooking which gained him top spot. This developed from a work experience placement at St Andrew's House Hotel, Droitwich, where his attitude to work so impressed head chef Ian Drysdale, he was offered an apprenticeship. Initially a kitchen assistant he gained more responsibility and is now capable of running the kitchen in the chef's absence.

Tamar Whyte's success was gained against the odds - battling family bereavement, poor health and stress.

Tamar, who is 28, not only suffers Borderline Personality Disorder, which means she is never satisfied with her work, she has also been looking after her teenage brother since the death of her mother and grandmother - and recovered from a breakdown. But she still completed her art studies at NEW College, Bromsgrove, and was the first artist to exhibit at the town's Artrix art centre.

Bobbie Mulrennan is a student at Hagley's Haybridge High School. She set out to gain work experience in childcare and undertook a placement in a local nursey and pre-school and impressed everyone with her attitude of 'getting stuck in.' She is now working towards an NVQ in Childcare.