Two young friends from Helston have been honoured with one of the country's top youth awards after dedicating their time to helping others.

Nine-year-old Gethyn Dixon and Olivia Eaton, also nine, from Helston, were presented with their Medals of Honour at the Palace of Westminster, by television presenter Anthea Turner.

Hosting the event, Anthea said: “This group of British Citizen Youth Award medallists represented community leadership, tech for good, climate campaigns and social conscience.

"Having met them all, it made me more confident of the future than I have felt for some time. These are amazing young people who deserve this recognition and I hope others aspire to be like them."

The ceremony heard how Gethyn always puts others first and uses his imagination and boundless enthusiasm when thinking of fundraising activities.

He has a very creative mind and raised over £3,000 for his best friend Olivia, who is currently fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Despite this huge challenge and having treatment four times a week, Olivia, along with Gethyn, has joined The Sparkle Foundation UK set up by Leigh Yates, as mini-fundraising committee members.

Olivia is selling lemonade, cakes and seeds to raise money for day trips for other kids with cancer, while Gethyn is currently selling seeds and gardening products to raise money.

Gethyn also organised for his school to decorate wooden hearts of hope and put them all around his home town, to spread joy and kindness, while Olivia has recently been involved with raising funds for Sue’s Cat Rescue, for cat toys.

Both Gethyn and Olivia volunteer by packing overnight bags for patients in children and adult wards for The Royal Cornwall Hospital. They also helped supply children’s wards with crafts and toys and activity packs for adults in long-term hospital care.

The British Citizen Youth Award (BCA), in association with Specsavers, is now in its fifth year and recognises exceptional under 18s who have positively impacted their communities through the county.

Dame Mary Perkins, patron of the BCA said: “The British Citizen Youth Award recipients are very special individuals. These young people all go above and beyond for others with selfless acts of kindness and community spirit with no thought or expectation of praise or reward.

"These awards are a great opportunity to shine a light on what they do and give them the recognition they so thoroughly deserve. They are the nation's true unsung heroes and the rising stars of the future.”

Each Medal of Honour bears the words ‘For the Good of the Country’ and are presented to only a small number of exceptional young individuals annually.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2022 medal presentations. Register online at www.britishcitizenyouthawards.co.uk