HILARY Bosher, from Falmouth, has won an award that will enable to her to travel to Brazil and carry out scientific environmental research with leading scientists.

Hilary, of Port Pendennis, was selected to go on the trip by environmental charity Earthwatch, after winning one of their Millennium awards.

She will travel to Brazil this autumn and will get the chance to work on a project monitoring the impact of the environment on local sea life.

Hilary, 50, said: "To visit part of the world not usually on the map, to take part in the conservation of such an exciting ecosystem as the savannah forest region of Brazil and to have the hands-on opportunity to work with experienced scientists - these are all exciting reasons why I am delighted to have won an award."

When she returns to Falmouth, Hilary will draw up a community action plan and put her experiences to work within a local conservation volunteering project.

Julian Laird, acting chief executive at Earthwatch, said: "The awards are targeted specifically at the over-fifties because this is an age group largely overlooked by the mainstream environmental education activities."