Cheryl Cole gets custard pie thrown in her face at Pride of Britain awards

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11 April 2012
The Weekender

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X Factor judge Cheryl Cole graciously accepted a custard pie in the face as royalty and fellow stars honoured some of the nation's unsung heroes.

The pop star volunteered for the treatment from schoolboy Cameron Small, who won Young Fund Raiser of the Year at last night's Pride of Britain awards.

The 12-year-old said he was "shocked" to be embarrassing the singer, adding: "I threw it hard and it hit her right in the face. Then she put some of it on me."

But Cole - who drew criticism for refusing to send home an X Factor contestant at the weekend - said: "It was a small thing to do for such a brave young man."

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall joined fellow X Factor judges Simon Cowell and Dannii Minogue, singer Susan Boyle, newly-wed comedian Russell Brand and showbiz veteran Bruce Forsyth at the annual bash.

Cameron, from Preston, was named Littlewoods.com Young Fund Raiser of the Year after raising more than £95,000 for the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

He won his chance to throw the pie after former X Factor contestant Darius Danesh won a charity auction with a £6,000 bid.

Host Carol Vorderman asked for volunteers from the audience to be the victim, and Cole bent down to receive the flan in the face.

Cameron said: "She took it quite well. She said it was the first time it's ever felt good when that had happened."

Also honoured at last night's ceremony was Pc David Rathband, who won widespread admiration for his dignity after he was blinded for life when he was shot by fugitive murderer Raoul Moat.

The heroic father of two was wounded in the face and chest with a sawn-off shotgun fired at point-blank range while he was sitting in his marked patrol car at a Newcastle roundabout last July.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg presented the Daybreak Emergency Services prize to him, saying: "It's overwhelming to see people like David quite rightly honoured on an evening like this for unimaginable courage.

"These are difficult times for the country and what I think is so great about an evening like this, honouring people like David, is it just shows you there are people who do extraordinary things in their own lives."

Pc Rathband said: "The nicest thing for me is the decent general members of the public quietened down a scourge of what was very unsavoury at the time and I'm grateful for that.

"It indicative of this country that there's lots of nice people out there and a very small minority that spoil it for the others."

He added: "I was doing my job and I would do it again tomorrow."

Charles and Camilla took to the stage at the end of the ceremony to present the Prince's Trust Young Achiever prize, which went to 27-year-old Nathan James from Leeds.

After sharing a prison cell with a heroin addict, Mr James embarked on a mission to inspire disadvantaged youths out of the same cycle of unemployment and crime.

He was jailed twice and shot in the leg - all before he turned 23.

But Mr James took part in The Prince's Trust Team programme to develop his mentoring skills.

On leaving prison he started work as a Prince's Trust assistant team leader at Cleveland Fire Service, running 12-week courses to prepare disadvantaged 16- to 25-year-olds for work.

He now works for West Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Trust managing five staff on a project for charity Just4Youth, holding courses including finance management, beating stereotypes and drug awareness.

Mr James said: "Last year I watched the awards programme in prison.

"I think it's inspirational. It gives people hope and with the different categories everyone can relate to someone.

"When I heard I'd won I broke down in tears.

"The Prince gave me credit for turning things around. It means so much to be recognised for what I've done."

Charles said: "The story of our winner tonight shows how we should never give up on young people.

"They have so much to give back and with the right support they can help change the lives of many others like them."

He added: "The Prince's Trust Pride of Britain winners are representatives of the 40,000 young people my trust helps every year.

"I'm always so moved and inspired ladies and gentlemen by their achievements and it gives me infinite reward and immense pride to know that we have helped them to have a positive future."

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