She is a rising star in the agricultural world, and after scooping a top award young farmer Emily Rout has been able to increase the size of her herd of cattle and gain a useful qualification.

Nineteen-year-old Emily, from Tibenham, was one of a number of young people celebrated for their achievements in the Bernard Matthews Youth Awards 2010.

In February each of the category winners were awarded �1,000 to help them further their dreams and now the search is on for a new set of young stars in the 2011 awards supported by the EDP, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, OPEN Youth Trust and The Garage.

It was second time lucky for Emily who won the 2010 young farmer award after also being a finalist in the 2009 awards.

Emily impressed the judges with her huge commitment to agriculture - combining studying for a degree in agricultural management at the UEA and Easton College while also developing her dairy herd and working to get more young people involved in farming.

She said: 'Winning the young farmer award was a really big achievement for me.

'I want to tell people to go for it and never give up - take every opportunity you are given. It worked for me - the first year I didn't win but the second time I did.

'This opportunity has opened a lot of doors for me and it all started from the Bernard Matthew Youth Awards.'

Emily, who works as a part-time grain trader and is in the second year of her agricultural management degree, used some of her �1,000 prize money to increase the size of her Holstein dairy herd to three animals.

She said: 'The money enabled me to buy a pedigree Holstein in-calf heifer, and I also used some of the money to do my livestock trailer test which means that I can pull a trailer on the back of a car and take livestock to shows.'

She said after winning the award she was approached by ITV Fixers who she has now teamed up with to create a cookery book that aims to promote local producers, encourage people to think more about what they eat, and reduce food miles.

'I want to make people more aware of British agriculture and encourage people to support it more,' Emily said.

There are eight categories in this year's Bernard Matthews Youth Awards including young farmer.

The other categories are cultural achievement, sporting achievement, community support, charity, bravery, educational achievement and environment.

The winner of each category will receive �1,000 and there will also be a special winner of winners award.

All the categories are open to both teams and individuals from Norfolk and Suffolk.

Entrants must be aged between 11 and 18 on December 15, 2010, and they can either enter themselves or be nominated.

Entries can be made online or by downloading an entry form from the awards website and sending it to The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards, c/o Shorthose Russell, 12 Meridian Way, Meridian Business Park, Norwich, NR7 0TA.

New for this year, people can submit video entries - people should upload three minutes of footage that answers the category questions to the Youth Awards website.

The closing date is 5pm on December 15, 2010.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Norwich in February.

t For more information visit www.edp24.co.uk/youthawards or call Katie Brown on 01603 706566.

Young people are being invited to get creative and learn about street art at a special event next Wednesday.

The Bernard Matthews Youth Awards are holding a street art workshop for young people with Tony Allen from Sticky Fingerz.

It will give young people the chance to unleash their creative side and learn how to make a street art scene.

They will learn how to create images on a large scale and will get the chance to put their new skills into practice by spray painting a large purpose built 'wall'.

The event is from midday until 4pm on Wednesday at OPEN in Norwich.

Anybody interested in taking part should call OPEN on 01603 763111 or drop in on the day to book a street art slot.

Throughout the afternoon people will also be able to find out more about the Bernard Matthews Youth Awards and how to enter.