NOMINATIONS have been flooding in over the past couple of months and after a fiercely contested competition this year's Citizen of the Year has been unveiled.

NOMINATIONS have been flooding in over the past couple of months and after a fiercely contested competition this year's Citizen of the Year has been unveiled.May Kenealy was presented with the coveted title by Mayor Glyn Dobson at Tuesday's Ottery Town Council annual parish meeting. The competition was revived last year by council chairman at the time, Council Tony Abbott.Mayor Dobson said: "The competition was started again last year by Councillor Abbott and was won by tourist information centre manager Phyllis Baxter. "This year we have had double the number of people nominated."When I look around the town I think it's a privilege to live in Ottery St Mary. I could go on endlessly about people doing good in the town. "The person who has won the award this year has been a volunteer at the Coleridge Pre-School Playgroup for more than 20 years and, at almost 84 years young, she began this career at a time when most are thinking about winding down their work life."It's difficult to work out exactly how many children from Ottery and the surrounding area May has helped to care for but it must run to almost 500. Her energy, commitment and cheerfulness are incredible. In addition to her work at the pre-school, she also serves on the over-60s group committee, where she is usually found in charge of catering."Mrs Kenealy looked surprised as she walked to the front of the meeting to receive her award from Mayor Dobson accompanied by applause. She thanked all those who nominated her.