A Dorchester councillor has been honoured at this year's Liberal Democrat Conference.

Andy Canning, who represents the north ward, was awarded this year's President's Award at the conference held in Bournemouth.

The award is given to recognise a 'long standing, hardworking, party member and activist' and there is just one award each year.

It was announced it would be awarded to Andy before a speech by Sir Vince Cable.

Andy, who has lived in Dorset for the last twenty years, was chosen for his work over no less than nearly forty years, having joined the then Liberal Party when he was a student at the London School of Economics in the early 1980s.

Since that time he has been active in the London Borough of Southwark, Watford, where he fought the Parliamentary seat, and more recently Dorset.

Here he has fought no fewer than three Parliamentary seats, South Dorset, Christchurch, and West Dorset, and stood in the first Dorset Police Commissioner election.

No stranger to local campaigning, he has led a host of campaigns including saving local bus services and defending GP’s surgeries. He has been elected to four local authorities, some a number of times.

Currently he sits on Dorset County Council, West Dorset District Council and Dorchester Town Council, where he is a former mayor.

When presenting the award, party president Sal Brinton, said: "Andy richly deserves this award for his outstanding commitment to the community.”

Former MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, Annette Brooke added: “Andy has supported so many Lib Dem candidates over the years. He made an important contribution to my election in 2001 when I became the first Lib Dem to be elected an an MP in Dorset for 50 years.”

Andy and his partner Mel have one son James, who is currently at university.

Andy said: "I am honoured and delighted that nearly 40 years of hard work has been recognised nationally by the Liberal Democrats. I am looking forward to many more years of representing Dorset.”