City of York Council has selected a community-spirited stalwart of the city's Bell Farm Estate as the recipient of its second 'Caring for the environment' award.

Debbie Stephenson, who is a member of the Bell Farm Residents' Association, works tirelessly on behalf of local residents and the environment of the Bell Farm area.

Terry Collins, the council's director of Neighbourhood Services, said: "Debbie is always going that extra mile to make sure that the area is looked after by residents. She works closely with the council and other  service providers who have signed up to the Bell Farm estate agreement.

"Debbie is never afraid to deal with issues affecting the area, whether they relate to the cleanliness of the environment, general upkeep of the area or trying to find ways to deal with anti-social behaviour issues. She is always looking for ways to make the local environment better in Bell Farm and we wanted to recognise her hard work by making her only the second person to receive one of our 'Caring for the environment' awards."

The award scheme was launched last month and aims to recognise the efforts of those who have made a real contribution to improving their local environment.

Debbie will be presented with her award at the Bell Farm Social Hall on Friday, 16 March at 12.30pm.