A woman from Bristol has become the first president of the National Union of Teachers from the South West in more than 30 years.

Nina Franklin, pictured, this week topped the poll to become senior vice president and will be installed as president at Easter 2011 at the NUT conference in Harrogate.

She said: "It's a great honour for the South West as the last time we had a president from this area was in 1976 when it was Alf Wiltshire."

Ms Franklin, who works for Bristol City Council, has battled for many years on behalf of teachers in the city. She has also faced her own struggle in recent years, undergoing gruelling treatment for head and neck cancer.