A FORMER Hereford Cathedral School pupil is believed to be the youngest ever officer to receive a Lord Lieutenant's certificate of commendation in the north west of England.

Fieke Taft - whose mother, Leonie Millar, and step-father, Jeremy, live at Wellingon - is a Territorial Army lieutenant and earned the accolade for providing support to the families of TA soldiers deployed in Iraq.

The 23-year-old is reading veterinary science at Liverpool University and is hoping to go into the Army Veterinary Corps.

While at the Cathedral School, from 1993 to 2000, she was cadet warrant officer.

Her mother said: ''Most of the time we are unaware of what she is doing. She has always seized her opportunities and has achieved a lot in a short time. The Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside's certificate is another feather in her cap.''

HCS staff instructor Mike Moffatt said: ''It was apparent at an early stage that Fieke possessed a certain spark. Since 1990, more that 160 former HCS pupils have gone on to gain commissions.''