Imaginative student Gina Elliott has received a top honour after her design won a national award.

8-year-old Gina, who goes to Fulwell Junior School in Sunderland, came up with the design for a collectible badge which will be used to urge kids to walk to school instead of being driven in the car.

Gina, who resides in Fulwell, designed the piece based on the concept “when I grow up” to express her goal of becoming a writer.

She was presented with the prize at an awards event held in london.

The badge will now be used as part of the Walk once a Week (WoW) program, set up by Living Streets, which promotes pupils to get fit and improve the environment by walking to school.

The challenge brought a large number of entries from pupils over the United Kingdom.

Gina’s father Gavin, 44, stated: “We were amazed when Gina was nominated within her own school so to win a national award was a big surprise, but we are very pleased and highly proud of her.”

Nick Clennett, from Go Smarter, mentioned: “We want to help school kids to be fitter and healthier as well as helping the environment by opting to walk to school at the very least once every week.

“Once a year the children themselves design the custom badges and Gina’s great entry was undoubtedly one of this year’s victors.

“Living Streets acquired over 12,000 concepts from over 4 hundred primary schools therefore it really is a remarkable accomplishment to be chosen as a winner.”

Contribution in the WoW scheme is shown to boost walking rates by nearly 26 per cent.

Each month, students that walk to school at least once weekly are awarded with badges.

Mr Clennett further added: “One in every five cars driving at peak periods is dropping kids to school, thus by pushing children to walk where possible we are able to make an actual difference to traffic, pollution and congestion - in addition to the kids’ fitness and health.”

Gina’s badge shall be available to all of the schools getting involved in the WoW program in 2014-15, along with 11 other successful designs.