ENGLAND'S number one under 19s squash player Jim Bristow, of Newton Abbot, was crowned Teignbridge Sports Personality of the Year 2005, at a presentation night attended by an array of sports stars from the district at the Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish Warren, on Friday.

The exceptionally talented 17-year-old, who is a student at Millfield School, Somerset, plays for Torquay Squash Club and is its youngest men's champion and also holds the under 18s title. He was captain of the England under 17s squad for the European Championships in Germany last year and was in the under 19s British Open Squash Championships. Bristow, who also took the Senior Sportsman of the Year trophy, is continuing the good run and is so far unbeaten in 2006.

Elected Senior Sportswoman of the Year was veteran indoor bowls player Aileen Hodsoll, of Buckfastleigh, who is a member of the Teignbridge Indoor Bowls Centre. Incredibly, she has been a National Triples finalist for five years on the trot, and in 2005 reached the quarter-finals in the Devon County Pairs.

A former Teignbridge Ladies captain, she is currently the county secretary and is part of the Devon squad currently topping the South West League.

When it comes to running long distances the rest of the field only sees the back of 16-year-old Patrick Hambly, of Bickington. Last year he was the top 1500m runner in his age group in the country, and gained a bronze medal in the UK Amateur Athletic Association Championships.

Hambly, who runs for Torbay Athletic Club, was named the Junior Sportsman of the Year. Last year he also won the UK Cross Country Challenge in Birmingham and is the current South West Cross Country Champion and the South West 1500m Champion.

The Junior Sportswoman of the Year title went to 11-year-old swimming starlet Sally Whybra, from Chudleigh. At the National Age Group Swimming Championships she was selected for the World Class Potential Squad for 2005/06, and rattled off 10 personal best times.

She swims for Dawlish and 7Xtreme swimming clubs. Grit and determination to succeed earned 11-year-old Elliot Fay, of Kingsteignton, the award for the Sportsperson of the Year with a physical/learning disability.

The youngster suffers from the hereditary muscle and nerve-wasting condition Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome. It causes loss of mobility and sensation in his limbs, but it did not stop him coming first in the South BMX Winter Series.

The young rider was also third in the South Summer Regional Series, sixth in the South West BMX Regional Series and 18th in the National BMX Championships. The Best Newcomer trophy went to Women's Challenge Club member Susan Spilsbury, of Luton, near Ideford, whose progression in white water kayaking has come on leaps and bounds, while the Most Improved award was received by Chelsie Hingston, 16, of Kingsteignton, a member of the Devon Junior Gig Squad and winner of the Junior Cup at Dartmouth Gig Regatta.

There was a double celebration for the Dawlish Swimming Club. First, it gained the Junior Team of the Year – 2005 saw the team gain promotion to the National Speedo League as well as members gaining many other honours.

Second, Chris Chappell, who coaches Dawlish SC, became the Coach of the Year having taken the club from the National Speedo League Division Three to Division One in a tremendous three seasons.

The Senior Team of the Year cup was awarded to Teignmouth Football Club 1st X1, who won the South Devon Premiership in 2004/05 for the first time and in doing so breaking the points record. Last season they also won the local Charity Shield.

Voluntary walk leader Ted Bunce gained the Services to Health and Physical Activity trophy. He is one of the driving forces behind the Chudleigh Walk This Way Group part of the National Walking Your Way to Health Initiative.

Peter Boston, of Widecombe Primary School, who trains the school's girls' football team, won the School's Coaching award, Becky Mason, the school-sports co-ordinator for Ashburton's South Dartmoor Community College took the Services to Sport (Education) award, and Don Harrison, Commodore of the Teign Corinthian Yacht Club, the Services to Sport (Community) award.

The awards were presented by ITV Westcountry sports presenter Mark Tyler.