GOOLE MP Ian Cawsey has received an award from the RSPCA for his work on animal rights.
The Lord Erskine Award recognises outstanding individual contributions to the cause of animal welfare and is one of the RSPCA's most prestigious awards.
And the honour comes in the week when a total ban on hunting with dogs - a cause championed by M
r Cawsey since his election in 1997 - was passed by the House of Commons.
The award was presented to Mr Cawsey at the RSPCA's annual general meeting by society chairman Dr Richard Ryder.
Dr Ryder said: "There is no more deserving recipient than Ian. Throughout all his time in Parliament he has campaigned tirelessly on the subject of animal welfare and always in a lively and informed way."
As well as his work on the Hunting Bill, Mr Cawsey chairs the all-party animal welfare group and has taken a leading role in developing a new Animal Welfare Bill.
Mr Cawsey said: "I was delighted when I was first told about this award.
"Animal welfare has always been important to me and I know from my mailbag that it is also of great interest to many other people in our area."
The award takes its name from 19th century politician Lord Erskine, who piloted the first animal suffering legislation through the House of Lords.
