A Conservative club secretary has been given an award for her work.

Carol Baker of the Waltham Holy Cross Conservative Club in Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, was given the Sir Marcus Fox Award for best club official by the party.

She has been club secretary since 1990 and started serving on its committee in 1979, eight years after joining in 1971.

The award was presented by Philip Smith, secretary of the Association of Conservative Clubs.

It is named after Sir Marcus, MP for Shipley in Yorkshire from 1970 to 1997 who gained prominence as the chairman of the 1922 Committee of back bench Tories.

Eleanor Laing MP, who attended the presentation, said: “It was great to have the opportunity to celebrate Carol's award and the many, many years that she has devoted to the club.”