A Cromer art student whose painting of a nurse wearing a face mask won a prize has been chosen as Young Person of the Year in the North Norfolk News Awards.

Grace Gascoyne, 17, studies art and design at City College Norwich sixth form, having completed her GCSEs and graduated from Cromer Academy this year.

She said: "I wasn't expecting to be nominated, it was quite a shock to be nominated, it's very exciting, it's quite a nice feeling."

Dealing with coronavirus restrictions was "a bit confusing, not knowing what was happening," she said.

"Art was the one thing that made it more bearable."

In December 2020, her powerful and moving image of a NHS nurse won a Christmas art competition run by a Norfolk and Suffolk multi-academy trust the Inspiration Trust.

In April this year, this newspaper reported on a black and white portrait she created of her friend and schoolmate, Eve Armstrong, for an GCSE art class at Cromer Academy.

Jerry White, deputy principal of City College Norwich, said: "We’re delighted that Grace’s talent has been recognised by this award.

"Since she started her Diploma in Art and Design at City College Norwich in September, Grace has continued to develop her skills under the guidance of our expert teachers and I know she’s ambitious to grow further as an artist.

"I’m sure she will be a name to look out for in the future."

Ms Gascoyne is no stranger to winning awards. In 2014, when she was 10-years-old, she won a Christmas poster competition. The prize saw her switching on the festive lights in Cromer that year.