A magician is hoping to pull a £1,000 prize out of the hat by conjuring up a nomination for the Bedfordshire's Young People of the Year award.

Annabel Walker, of Wood End, Ravensden, has been interested in magic from the age of five, and now runs her own children's entertainment business.

But in addition to children's parties the 19-year-old started doing voluntary work three months ago by performing for free in homes for the elderly around Bedford and for people with learning difficulties.

She said: "There's a lot of voluntary organisations that can't afford people to come and work.

"I hope to start volunteering for more organisations very soon. To be honest I get quite a buzz out of what I do.

"I can't believe that I have been nominated because I have only been volunteering for a short time."

The former Sharnbrook Upper School pupil was nominated by Rebecca Gaisford, volunteer co-ordinator at Bedford Volunteer Centre, who describes the teenager as a "whirlwind".

She said: "Annabel only came in a few weeks ago and has already been helping a number of organisations without payment.

"I wish we had more like her, particularly younger people who don't always appreciate the benefit of volunteering to themselves as well as to the people they are helping.

"She is so genuinely keen to help. She is so lively and full of zest and positive about what she wants to do."

Miss Walker runs her own entertainment business, amusination.co.uk, but is also studying for an Open University degree in history and hopes to become an archaeologist.

The teenager will be keeping the crowds at Bedford River Festival entertained next weekend with her unicycling and vast repertoire of tricks, including her favourite, a book that colours its own pictures at the wave of a wand.

Nominations for the Duke of Bedford's Young People Of The Year award can still be made by visiting www.yopey.org

Nominees must be aged between ten and 25 years old and live, work or study in Bedfordshire.