She has spent the last 14 years supporting seafarers into Falmouth with a warm welcome and now Penny Phillips has been recognised for her efforts - although not before the Mission's cat beat her to it.

Penny Phillips, who is voluntary chair of the Falmouth Mission to Seafarers, has been awarded a British Empire Medal in this year's New Years Honour's List.

Penny set up The Flying Angel Cabin at Falmouth Docks 14 years ago, starting off with a third hand cabin before over the years developing it into a purpose built cabin with chapel, games room, summerhouse and wraparound garden for seafarers to enjoy.

In that time Penny, whose day job is also at the docks as executive assistant to the directors, and her team of volunteers have helped and cared for many seafarers with a warm welcome, from abandoned crews to injured seafarers and many with personal problems, as well as provided free Wi-Fi for crews to contact love ones.

Some stay for only a day, while one seafarer with a punctured lung was looked after for three months.

One particularly memorable occasion was in July 2012 when the German container ship the MSC Flaminia caught fire, claiming three lives and forcing the crew to abandon ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The 14 survivors were brought to Falmouth, where they were looked after by Mission volunteers until 4am.

For that incident, the Mission's cat Josephine Bagpuss was given a recognition award from Mission to Seafarer's central office, after she too stayed up all night sitting on seafarer's laps - something she does to comfort every visitor.

Penny's award means she has at last also been given deserved recognition.

She described herself as "thrilled" with the award, adding: "I'm delighted the award will throw light on the important worldwide work of Mission to Seafarers."

She also said it was "all credit" to A&P for its full and continued backing of the project.

"It's a way of giving back for all the work I've had through the ships. If it wasn't for the ships the docks wouldn't exist and people in the town wouldn't have the employment there," she explained.