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Whether it's dealing with a consumer issue, reporting on the latest news, becoming a recording artist for charity, or opening a local event ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Cornwall's lunchtime presenter Laurence Reed is always keeping busy.

On Thursday 8 October the hard work of Laurence and his producer Issy Taylor was recognised at a prestigious awards ceremony.

The lunchtime show was declared the best daytime programme on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ local radio anywhere in the country at the Gillard Awards.

Laurence and producer Issy Taylor

Laurence's phone-in was up against more than 20 other daytime programmes entered by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ local stations. He was declared the winner of the gold award by the chairman of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Trust, Sir Michael Lyons, at a ceremony in Nottingham.Ìý

The judges praised the programme as a fine example of mature radio. They said Laurence knew his stuff. The winning entry included highlights from his ten-town fund raising tour for Children's Hospice South West and coverage of aÌýcampaign to help a woman from Falmouth who suffered from agoraphobia. Last night's gold was third time lucky for Laurence. He'd received silver and bronze awards in previous years.

'It's no nonsense calls and comment'. That's how the presenter of the award-winning, lunchtime phone-in, describes the three hour daily programme on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Cornwall.

Laurence has been presenting the show for the past 14 years, interviewing virtually every household politician known to man….from Tony Blair, to Lady Thatcher. Along the way he's tackled issues with Frank Dobson, Mo Mowlam, and Charles Kennedy.

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Cornwall's Laurence Reed

The programme has helped thousands of disgruntled listeners since Laurence has been in the chair. From replacing faulty electrical goods, sorting out passports, fixing phones and mending water leaks…in fact whatever the complaint, it's been sorted.

Laurence's show is very much a family affair. His wife Nikki has even stood in for him on a past Comic Relief Day, while Laurence stayed at home looking after their children, Danika, Jack, Georgia and Harriet.

Laurence is always up for a challenge. Away from the microphone he enjoys taking on other golfers on the fairways for charity matches, riding motorbikes through walls of fire, becoming a recording artist, and even grappling with a 15 foot python.

He moved to Cornwall when he was just 13, so considers himself to be 'almost local'. Before journalism Laurence ran a string of gift shops, was an air traffic controller in the air force and was also a mobile DJ.

Listen to our award winning lunchtime presenter from midday Monday to Friday on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Cornwall. Click on the listen live button on the top right hand side of this page to listen online.