PRESS columnist Helen Mead won an award created specially for her at last night’s O2 Media Awards for Yorkshire and The Humber.

Helen, who has written a weekly column for the Press for many years, was presented with a Best Columnist award at the ceremony, held at Leeds United Football Club.

Organisers Rossiter Media Ltd tweeted: “The panel decided that two of the nominees (in the Writer category) should receive awards to recognise their individual skill-sets and this year the judges wanted to create a specific award for her (Helen).”

Former Press crime reporter Dan Bean was highly commended in the print news reporter of the year category, and The Press was also highly commended for its Armistice Day supplement published last November to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.

The awards were presented by journalist and BBC Breakfast anchor Louise Minchin.

Praising Helen, she said: “Columnist Helen Mead packs a punch. Whimsical, self-deprecating, but never self-indulgent...this is a writer who readers seek out. She knows her core audience, but her subject material is so entertaining anyone reading it would enjoy.”