A TIRELESS campaigner from North Yorkshire has won a top national award for his "incredible” work to encourage his home town to become dementia friendly.

Volunteer Chris Riley topped the “Bringing people together” category in the first-ever Alzheimer's Society People Awards.

The honour was in recognition of his outstanding local efforts to encourage more dementia-friendly behaviour from businesses and other organisations in Northallerton.

He received his award from broadcasting legend Sir Michael Parkinson at St James’ Palace, London, during a ceremony hosted by Princess Alexandra, the Royal Patron of the Alzheimer's Society.

“I was really surprised and very proud to learn that I’d been nominated. I’m just a very small cog in this great community movement helping to make communities more understanding of those living with dementia,” he said.

“Receiving the award will motivate me even more – as well as in my home town, I’m now starting to work in the Richmond area and with organisations that serve the whole of North Yorkshire.”

The charity’s services manager Pam Crawford said: “Chris has worked incredibly hard to encourage businesses and other organisations to work towards becoming dementia friendly in Northallerton and has delivered Dementia Friends sessions to hundreds of people.

“He is such a warm-hearted, cheerful and caring man with a variety of skills that he is always willing to share. He is a true advocate of the work of Alzheimer's Society.”