A MALDON mum has won the first ever Essex Baby Mother of the Year Award.

Sarah Roe, 39, of Blind Lane, Maldon, was nominated for the award by her 14-year-old daughter, Holly.

Sarah has two other children, Robert, 15, and William, 11.

Holly nominated her mother, saying that, despite running three businesses and raising three children, her mum “always had time for others.”

Upon receiving the award Sarah said: “I cannot tell you how excited I was to see this news and how surprised I was to hear that Holly took the time to nominate me.”

“I was very thankful to her. The chance to go away for our prizes will great for us. I am just very excited, surprised, and happy and pleased, all of it.”

“I take the children to school, work in the nursery Monday Tuesday and Thursday, in the lorry office Wednesday and Friday, and with the horses Saturday and Sunday.”

The Essex Baby Mother of the Year Award aims to recognise the women of Essex who bring so much to their families and homes, as well as to their communities.

Tamsin Malone, founder of Essex Baby, said: “We received a wonderful response to our call for nominations, which demonstrates just how many amazing mums there are in the region.

“We have been introduced to some incredible women who are changing lives for the better and inspiring many others.

“It was so difficult to choose just one winner. We extend our warmest gratitude to all of our nominees – they are all champions in our eyes.”

Sarah’s prize for winning the award is dinner, bed and breakfast for two at the recently refurbished Down Hall Country House Hotel.

A spokesperson for Down Hall said: “We continue to offer local support to worthy causes and charities and are delighted to be involved in Essex Baby’s first Mother of the Year Award.

“We hope our boutique hotel will provide the most idyllic country escape from the chaos of normal life to a very special Mum.”