THE Rotary club's highest honour has been bestowed on the chief executive of Cumbria Tourist Board Chris Collier for her service to the community during the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The Windermere branch of the club awarded Mrs Collier with the Paul Harris Fellowship, named after the founder of the movement and usually given to leading Rotarians who have done exceptional work for the community.

It is only the fourth time in its 54-year history that the club has made the award, and the first to a non-Rotarian.

Rotary member and past president Ernie Fallowfield described how Mrs Collier had revolutionised the workings of the tourist board since her appointment in 1996.

He said that when foot-and-mouth broke out in February, she was horrified by the implications for the economy and the communities.

"Driven by concern for her fellow Cumbrians, she put herself and her officers into emergency overdrive, working a 90 plus hour week for the ensuing months to lobby for aid, assistance, better management of the problem and successfully achieving funding for recovery at no small cost to her own well-being," said Mr Fallowfield.

"Her dedication was and is truly service above self."

The award was presented to Mrs Collier by retiring district governor Alan Dodds, who also holds the award.

Mrs Collier said she was deeply honoured and overwhelmed to accept the fellowship, saying: "I accept it on behalf of all my staff and colleagues who have supported me in this crisis."