Teenager Katie Green has achieved the ultimate accolade in a uniformed organisation by being presented with the coveted Queen's Guide Award.Katie, along with Alice Burridge and Angie Childerhouse from Norwich, were presented with their awards by the Countess of Wessex at a ceremony at St James's Palace in London.

Teenager Katie Green has achieved the ultimate accolade in a uniformed organisation by being presented with the coveted Queen's Guide Award.

Katie, along with Alice Burridge and Angie Childerhouse from Norwich, were presented with their awards by the Countess of Wessex at a ceremony at St James's Palace in London.

Katie, whose family home is at Dereham, was joined by more than 100 young women from across the UK to receive their special awards. The award sees participants take the lead in a number of areas, including developing a personal skill, working within a community action project and overseeing ambitious outdoor pursuits.

Katie worked in a school in India for six months and produced a report on the advantages and disadvantages of taking a year out.

She set up a guide unit with a friend and completed a gruelling 50-mile, four-day gold Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition in Derbyshire, and despite extreme weather, sore feet and exhaustion, she loved every minute of it. She was a helper with the 2nd Swanton Morley Guide unit.

Katie said: 'The experiences and challenges the Queen's Guide Award presented me with built my character and gave me fantastic memories. I am so proud to have the honour of being a Queen's Guide.'

Katie said that when she was applying for her teacher training post at Sunderland University she felt sure that being a Queen's Guide helped her win a place.

'Having this award gives a great deal of confidence, a sense of humble pride, fantastic memories and makes you stand out from the crowd as an achiever,' she said.