A Highbury woman has been recognised for the full-time care she gives her father – but said the award was “hard to accept”.

Anne Couzens, 37, has cared for Barry, 69, since 2003 when he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma bone cancer. She was given a British Caregiver Award, a scheme set up by personal injury lawyers’ firm the National Accident Helpline that shines a light on the UK’s unpaid and unsung carer heroes, after being nominated by a friend.

Anne said: “It’s just something you do. It can have an impact on your own life, but often you don’t realise. You just get on with it.

“Being recognised with an award is hard to accept. You don’t do it for recognition – you do it because you need to.

“But it’s lovely, too. We are silent warriors who often get missed, yet save the government an awful lot of responsibility!”