Medway councillor Pat Cooper has won a national accolade for her outstanding work in the community.

The 69-year-old great-grandmother has been named top Labour councillor in the country and was presented with her prize by party leader Jeremy Corbyn at a ceremony in London.

Cllr Cooper, who represents Gillingham North ward, was among thousands of councillors put forward for the award.

She attributed her passion for speaking up on behalf of others on “getting angry” and not giving in.

She said: “I get frustrated. These are people who have put an X next to my name and voted for me. It is my duty to represent them.”

Cllr Cooper said she was “gobsmacked” about winning the title from SME4Labour, a group formed to strengthen the link between the party and small to medium-sized businesses.

Speaking from her home in Dial Road, Gillingham, she said: “I was surprised that I got to the shortlist and when they called out my name I was just amazed.”

Cllr Cooper’s tireless efforts to speak on behalf of those who elected her have continued since she first went into politics on Gillingham Council in 1994.

Among the many campaigns she has backed and led was to regenerate the rundown Hillyfields play area to attract more residents to use it.

She formed the Friends of Hillyfields in 2005, lobbied the council and negotiated funding for new pathways, seating, play equipment, a recreation and picnic area.

She said: “It was a dump and I thought I must get to grips with this. We got young people involved with the idea of getting them to take ownership and we received green flag status in 2009.”

More recently she has joined a group fighting to persuade the council to reverse a decision to reduce the opening hours at the Strand Leisure Pool.

Cllr Cooper, who helped to collect a 1,522 signature petition, said: “It is a much-loved facility and people want to be able to use it when they want. Obviously the season is closed at the moment but we need to keep the momentum up.”

Her current fight is with Arriva over the bus company’s decision to withdraw its direct service to the Asda supermarket in Pier Road.

Not only has she knocked on doors asking for support, she has also boarded buses to gauge opinion from passengers.

Cllr Cooper said: “My fellow councillors have been supportive and I am currently awaiting the date for a high-level meeting with Arriva in the new year.

“I know they are running a business, but just for once can they not think about those using their buses? I am not going to let it go away.”

Cllr Cooper was also a governor at Forge Lane Infant School and then at Saxon Way Primary School for 19 years.

A member of the Medway Queen Preservation Society, she renewed her wedding vows with husband Tony, 67, on board the paddle steamer at Gillingham Pier earlier this year.

The couple have 15 grandchildren between them and a one-year-old great grandson.