Pearson won three gold medal at the Athens Paralympics

Pearson was named BBC Midlands Sports Personality of the Year while Criddle, who also won three golds in Greece, claimed the same award for BBC West.

Wheelchair tennis gold medallist Peter Norfolk picked up the BBC South award.

In the disabled sport category, winners in the regions included swimmer Sascha Kindred and cyclist Darren Kenny.

In Athens, Pearson retained all of the three titles he won in Sydney four years before with victory in the grade I individual dressage, freestyle and team events.

"I think its great for sport, disabled sport, equestrianism, dressage and me," said Pearson, who was earlier honoured with BBC Midlands' Sports Person with a Disability award.

Success in the team competition in Athens also gave Criddle her third gold medal of the Games after triumphs in the grade three individual events.

Norfolk completed a sensational double early this week when he picked up honours at both the BBC South Sports Awards and the 2004 Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) Awards.

The Hampshire-based player, who became Britain's first ever Paralympic tennis medallist at the quad singles tournament in Greece, won BBC South's Sportsman of the Year award and the LTA's 2004 Disabled Player title.

Kindred, who claimed gold medals in the men's SM6 200m individual medley and the SB7 100m breaststroke, was honoured with the Paralympic Achievement award by BBC North West.

Cycling double gold medallist Darren Kenny was BBC South West's Disabled Sportman of the Year while archer Kathy Smith recieved the woman's award.

Equestrian's Sophie Christiansen, swimmer Dervis Konarulp, wheelchair basketball's Kristina Small and archer Anita Chapman were also among the regional winners.

Regional BBC Sports Personality of the Year:

Debbie Criddle (BBC West)
Peter Norfolk (BBC South)
Lee Pearson (BBC Midlands)

Regional BBC Disabled Athlete of the Year:

Anita Chapman (BBC Yorkshire & Lincolnshire )
Sophie Christiansen (BBC London)
Darren Kenny & Kathy Smith (BBC South)
Dervis Konarulp & Kristina Small (BBC South East)
Sascha Kindred (BBC North West)
Lee Pearson (BBC Midlands)