A student from Poland on a foundation degree course in graphic design at the City of Bristol College has won a top award.

Iwona Barszczewska, who is now in her second year at the college, was awarded the annual Stanley Hooper Memorial Award for excellence in her studies and interpretation of design briefs.

As well as the trophy, offered by the Institute of Paper, Printing and Publishing, in conjunction with the college and Bristol News and Media, she was awarded a prize of £250 and a week's work placement at the Bristol Evening Post working in the graphic design studio.

Iwona, who hails from Wroclaw, Poland's fourth largest city, has a degree in fine arts from her local university.

Her college project was to design two jackets for a series of science fiction books.

Iwona, who has been studying and working in Britain for four years, said: "I had to design a number of book covers for works of science fiction.

"The covers had to be produced in a style which made them recognisable as being part of a popular science fiction series.

"The work placement at the Post was very good and interesting. It was really good to see how a newspaper is put together and I believe it will give me good experience."

Iwona aims to be a graphic designer in website design and has already set up her own website, www.iwobar.net.

The Stanley Hooper Memorial Award was presented by Catherine Hooper, widow of Mr Hooper, who served as chairman of the media advisory committee to the Department of Printing and Graphic Communications at City of Bristol College.

He started as an apprentice compositor at the Post and by the time he retired in 1985 was production manager in charge of the composing room and the machine room.