AN all-round athlete and two community stalwarts were prizewinners at the sixth Wiltshire Sports Awards.

Salisbury Stingrays volunteer Ron Pankhurst, sprinter Lucy-Jane Matthews and coach Shaun Green were recognised for their talent and sterling work at grassroots level.

Former England rugby captain Phil de Glanville, like in previous years, hosted the Wiltshire Council-run event.

He presented Pankhurst with the long service to sport accolade, Lucy-Jane with young sports personality of the year (age 16 years and under) and Green with coach of the year.

Pankurst has supported the swimming club at Five Rivers Leisure Centre for more than 44 years, making him the club’s longest-serving member.

During his time, he has taught hundreds of children how to swim as well as coaching the waterpolo squad, training life guards and coaching competitive swimmers of all ages.

Carol Vaughan, Stingrays president, lauded Pankhurst for his achievements.

“His dedication to swimming in general and the club in particular has, and continues to be, exemplary and well deserving of the wider recognition that the 2015 Wiltshire Sports Award for long service will hopefully provide,” she said.

Lucy-Jane, of Salisbury, only took up athletics three years ago after being inspired by Jessica Ennis-Hill at the London Olympics in 2012.

Since then, she has climbed the UK rankings finishing this season as under-13 number one in 60m hurdles, long jump, indoor pentathlon and 100m sprint.

As well as training and competing, Lucy-Jane attended a young sports leader course and volunteered to help at the summer star track athletics camp.

Figheldean’s Green has coached for the past 27 years in the triathlon sports – cycling, swimming and running.

From teaching swimming to a wide range of children, to being the Team Guyana Cycling Coach for both the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games and the team manager at the UCI World Championships, Green has done much in his time. He is also the founder of Stonehenge Triathlon and Road Club.

Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire Council, spoke after last Wednesday’s event at County Hall, Trowbridge.

She said: “Once again the Wiltshire Sports Awards have proven to be a wonderful celebration of the hard work and dedication of many people at all levels of the sporting community in the county."

“It is a showcase for the hard work of athletes and the sheer dedication of all those people who put in so much time and effort throughout the year to ensure our grass roots sports clubs are able to offer residents of all ages the opportunity to get involved in sport.”