A Bristol woman who is the chief executive of a charity working to support the children of alcoholics has been presented with a Woman of the Year award.

Hilary Henriques, from Downend, was one of four women, including wartime Forces' sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn, to receive an award at the annual lunch and ceremony yesterday.

Ms Henriques received the Outstanding Achievement Award for her work with the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, which she founded 19 years ago.

She said: "Sadly when alcoholism is the family secret, children are more likely to experience difficult situations with family violence, neglect and other problems."

The importance of the Fishponds-based charity's work was confirmed last year when the number of calls to its helpline shot up by a staggering 106 per cent after local and national publicity.

More than half of the 37,165 calls came from children aged between 12 and 18 and nearly 1,500 came from children younger than eight.

As the child of alcoholic parents, Ms Henriques said she understands only too well the fearful shadow these children live under.

Before an audience including Sarah Brown, wife of Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Esther Rantzen, she collected the award and said: "We are not here for you to become used to hearing that children are abused.

"If you ever start thinking it's just a matter of course to come here, don't come back."