A 90-year-old Petersfield resident, Sheila Burkitt, has scooped a prestigious animal welfare award.

The Lord Houghton Award is given each year to a volunteer for outstanding service to animal welfare.

It has been previously given to well-known celebrities and household names.

It is awarded annually by four leading animal welfare organisations, with each one taking it in turn to nominate a recipient.

And this year it was the turn of the League Against Cruel Sports to give the award.

It was presented to Sheila by the League Against Cruel Sports chief executive Andy Knott.

He visited her at her home near Sheet to hand over the engraved crystal vase.

In her nomination, it said she has been a loyal supporter and volunteer with the League Against Cruel Sports for nearly 25 years.

And during that time, Sheila, who formerly lived in the New Forest, has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the persecution of animals in blood sports such as fox hunting.

Sheila, a lifelong animal lover, said: “I’m overwhelmed and feel very privileged to have been presented with such a special award.

“It was a total surprise and it means a great deal to me.

“I’ve hated cruelty to animals since I was a child.

“And I have always believed the League Against Cruel Sports deal with one of the worst aspects of cruelty – to hurt animals for one’s own amusement.”

Sheila’s volunteering included campaigning on the streets, handing out leaflets and organising petitions.

She also regularly writes directly to people and institutions in support of the work of the League.

Andy Knott said: “We hope Sheila is justly proud of her award.

“She has earned it over such a sustained period of time, campaigning for creatures that have no voice of their own.

“Sheila is a true, selfless and inspiring champion of animals and is so richly deserving of this prestigious award.”

Previous recipients of the award include Linda McCartney, and Barbara Castle, MP and Baroness Castle of Blackburn.

More recently they have included comedian and actor Ricky Gervais, and violinist Vanessa Mae.

It was launched in 1980 to mark the work of Lord Douglas Houghton of Sowerby (1898- 1996).

Aged only 19 he fought in the front line at Ypres and Passchendaele during World War One, later becoming a prominent trade union leader, Member of Parliament, cabinet minister and chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

At the age of 97 he attended the House of Lords to press for much-needed reform of the Dangerous Dogs Act.

The organisations which take turns to present the award are League Against Cruel Sports, Animal Defenders International, OneKind and Cruelty Free International.