A Swindon staff member has been named Nationwide's 2001 Employee of the Year.

Andy Harper, a facilities adviser based at the building society's Swindon head office, took the honours in competition with nine other employees.

The awards have been running since 1996 but Andy is the first from the head office to win.

Over the past year he has been involved in a number of successful events at Nationwide House including a visit by Chancellor Gordon Brown and setting up a live radio station roadshow broadcast at only a day's notice.

Peter Muller, Andy's line manager, said: "Andy is a very valued member of my team here and this award shows that he is appreciated across the whole of Nationwide. It's a well-deserved prize."

Andy said: "I'm very honoured and surprised to be nominated by my colleagues and to win is a great bonus."