A GRAPHIC design student from Okehampton says she is delighted to have won a national award for her work.

Gemma Luxton, who studies in Nottingham Trent University's School of Art and Design, won the New Designers Hallmark Award for her greetings card range.

The 22-year-old was given £1,000 prize money and a work placement at the global greetings card company which sponsored the award.

Gemma said: 'I'm delighted to have been given this great opportunity to gain experience in the field of design that I am extremely passionate about.'

She says the concept behind her greetings card range was the keepsake value of receiving hand-made cards. The cards are self assembling and include hand-cut paper gifts that can be kept by the recipient for decoration.

During New Designers, which took place in London, Gemma also exhibited an illustrative representation of one of her favourite children's books and a decorative map of southern Spain which was influenced by people, places and food there.

New Designers is an exhibition for emerging design which presents the work of outstanding graduate designers across a host of creative disciplines.  It provides an annual platform for bringing industry, press and consumers together with more than 3,000 of the UK's most talented and innovative design graduates.

The judges' citation of Gemma's work said: 'Gemma inspired us with her commercial and diverse portfolio. Her personality shone through and we think she will be a great asset to the Hallmark team.'