Sporting talent across the county has been celebrated at the Cumbria Sports Awards.

A total of 230 guests, including guest speaker Jenny Meadows, congratulated winners at the glittering event, held at Windermere’s Low Wood Bay Resort and Spa last night.

Organised by Cumbria County Council’s Active Cumbria team and supported by United Utilities, the awards recognise the outstanding successes of teams and individuals who are involved in sport. It was hosted by BBC Radio Cumbria presenter Mike Zeller.

Helen Housby, from Drumleaning, near Wigton, was crowned this year’s prestigious Sports Personality of the Year.

Housby, like many of the county’s top performers, has had to leave home to fulfill her dream, and plays and lives in Australia for large parts of the year.

And it was Down Under at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year where she had her moment of glory, sinking the shot that saw England beat Australia 52-51 in the final and earn England Commonwealth gold for the first time ever.

“Thank you to everyone that nominated me,” the 23-year-old. “My year has been a whirlwind.

"The Commonwealth finals was the best moment of my career. It was groundbreaking for our sport and it’s amazing to be part of a movement that’s transcending, not just English netball, but global netball.

“We’re making waves with grassroots and with young people looking up to us, it’s pretty special at the moment.

"I’m really thankful for the journey I’m on and, while I’m now in Sydney most of the year, Cumbria will always be my home.

"I love where I’m from and I’m really proud to be part of Cumbrian sport, we’ve seen some really special things in the county over the last few years, and I’m really proud to be part of that. I’d like to congratulate all the other winners.”

Scotby’s Nick Miller picked up the gong for 2018 Cumbria Performance of the Year.

He, too, claimed gold in the hammer at the Commonwealth Games in April, with a Games record throw of 80.26m.

Carlisle-born cyclist Ellie Dickinson claimed the Special Award.

Dickinson, 20, made her Commonwealth Games debut. In the last 12 months, she also won her first World Cup medals in Milton, Canada.

Laura Robinson, from Carlisle Trampoline Club, was the winner of the Young Sports Leader and Volunteer of the Year Award.

Robinson recently decided to stop competing and focus on being a voluntary coach and judge for the club, where she has been a member for 10 years.

She has successfully completed her Level Two qualification in trampoline and club judge award, and helped set-up a mini development squad aimed for children between five and seven year olds, to introduce them into the club environment in a fun and safe way.

Robinson has been so successful with her 5-7 year olds that she was able to enter them into the North of England Championships where they won first in the team event and came second in the synchro event.

Kim Trotter from Carlisle Trampoline Club was another to win an award, taking the Coach of the Year title.

Over the past year, Trotter has coached four youngsters to national finals level in both disciplines.

Volunteer of the Year went to Irwin Wallace.

Wallace has been instrumental in developing an approach, with his so-called “Nappy squad” at Penrith’s Castletown Football Club, that has supported the development of well over 1,000 footballers.

Carlisle United’s Danny Grainger and goalkeeper Adam Collin are both graduates from Irwin’s Nappy squad.

Team of the Year went to Workington Comets who claimed a hat-trick of trophies.

Elsewhere, Community Club or Group of the Year went to Lanercost Sports Club, Performance Award for People with a Disability went to swimmer Ella Cooper-Holmes and Junior Team of the Year went to Wigton’s Thomlinson Junior School.

Carlisle golfer Archie Davies, Seaton’s Elliott Hodgson and Emie Seward were the three Rising Stars, with Caitlin Whitehead crowned Junior Sports Personality of the Year.

Keswick rugby player James Addyman won the Be Inspired Award, with Barrow’s Paul Burns claiming the Service to Sport gong.

In two new awards, Active Workplace Award went to Carlisle Brass and The Active Education Award went to Fairfield Primary School in Cockermouth.