The champagne's flowing in Oswestry as Val Hanover wins the national Unsung Hero Award at a star-studded BBC Sports Personality of the Year competition in London. Val was one of nine winners on the night and received her award from England footballers Alan Shearer and Owen Hargreaves. Val impressed the judges with her great commitment to people with learning disabilities, firmly believing in the power of sport to enrich lives. Val had no thoughts of awards or recognition when she started working with people with learning disabilities in 1964. But recognition came her way when when she was named BBC Midlands Sports Unsung Hero after organising Special Olympics for thousands of people with learning difficulties throughout North Shropshire since 1978. Regional winners | | Cleobury Mortimer Rugby Club. |
There were two other Shropshire success stories at the regional finals in Birmingham. Cleobury Mortimer Rugby Football Club was named Amateur Club of the Year, marking their phenomenal cup run earlier in the year - ending with the first ever appearance in a Twickenham final for a Shropshire team. And Mickey Bushell from Telford took the Young Disabled Sportsperson title following his hat-trick of victories in the London Marathon Wheelchair event and four Golds at the British Championships along with a Silver at the World Junior Championships. Full list of regional winnersSports Personality Of The Year
(by public vote) Winner: Phil Taylor - World Darts Champion from Stoke on Trent.
Runner-up: Ian Bell - Warwickshire and England cricketer.
Third: Matt Neal - British Touring Car Champion from Redditch. Sportsman of the Year Phil Taylor
World Darts champion from Stoke on Trent. Sportswoman of the Year Tracey Hallam
Commonwealth Games badminton gold and silver and national champion medallist from Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire.  | | Mickey Bushell. |
Team of the Year Cannock Hockey Club
Premier League champions for the fourth successive season. Special Achievment Graeme Hick
Worcestershire and England cricketer who became only the eighth batsman in history to score 100 first-class centuries for one county. Junior Sportswoman Jade Surman
Britain's top junior heptathlete and world schools long jump gold medallist. Jade belongs to the Birchfield Harriers club. Junior Sportsman Nathan Woodward
World Schools bronze medallist and English schools champion who set a new UK record in winning Gold in the 400 metres hurdles at the UK Schools Games. He lives in Coleshill and belongs to Tamworth Athletics Club. Disabled Sportsperson Iris Bingham
The World and European wheelchair crossbow shooting champion from Rugby. Young Disabled Sportsperson Mickey Bushell
Birchfield Harriers wheelchair athlete who completed a hat-trick of victories in the London Marathon Wheelchair event and won four golds at the British Championships along with a silver at the World Junior Championships. Mickey comes from Telford. Amateur Club Of The Year Cleobury Mortimer Rugby Club
Cleobury became the first club from Shropshire to play in a Twickenham final in the Powergen Junior Vase. Junior Team Of The Year Staffordshire Under 13 Cricket Team
The first ever Minor County to win the National Age Group Cup. Footballer Of The Year Gareth Barry, Aston Villa and England. Unsung Hero Val Hanover
Val, from Oswestry, runs Special Olympics for thousands of people with learning difficulties in North Shropshire. BBC Local Radio Breakthrough Award Winners Gabriel Agbonlahor
Aston Villa's exciting young striker who's burst onto the Premiership scene and into the England Under 21 side. Kelly Sibley
Winner of two table tennis gold medals at the UK Schools Games and a triple national champion. Kelly is from Leamington Spa. Hall Of Fame Gordon Banks OBE
Former Stoke City and England goalkeeper who was one of England’s 1966 World Cup winning heroes. The fourth BBC Midlands Sports Awards were sponsored by Sport England, West Midlands and Birmingham City Council. | 
