Lothersdale’s Commonwealth gold-medal winning archer Danielle Brown has been named Disabled Sportswoman of the Year.

The 22-year-old received the prestigious Sunday Times prize at a gala presentation event in London, which was attended by some of the country’s top female sports stars.

It has been a sensational 2010 for Brown, of which the highlight was her gold-medal success at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

With Nichola Simpson and Nicky Hunt, she won gold in the team tournament and became the first Paralympian athlete to represent the able-bodied England team at the Commonwealth Games.

Brown, who suffers from reflex sympathetic dystrophy which affects her ability to stand, succeeds OBE Sarah Storey – one of the country’s most successful disabled athletes with gold medals in swimming and cycling at the Paralympics – in winning the Sunday Times accolade.

The former South Craven pupil said: “This is one of the most prestigious awards that I could have won.

“The calibre of sportswomen at the event was really high so to win this award is amazing, really incredible.”

In addition to her gold-medal success, Brown has set new Paralympic world records, qualified for the Archery GB National Series Grand Final, represented Team GB at a World Cup tournament and, last month, won the Outstanding Female Athlete with Disability prize at the annual Commonwealth Sports Awards.

Away from archery, she also gained a first in law from Leicester University earlier in the year.

“It’s been an amazing year, and winning the Sunday Times award is just wonderful,” added Brown.

“It was a fantastic event, and I’m having to pinch myself at it all. I am very proud.”

Archery GB Paralympic coach Tim Hazell believes Brown’s award is fully merited.

He said: “Dani has had a magnificent year and I am running out of superlatives to describe it.

“But she thoroughly deserves it – she works so very, very hard, and is not only a wonderfully talented archer but also a very dedicated one. She serves as a shining example to others.”

England Women’s Rugby World Cup star Margaret Alphonsi won Sportswoman of the Year award, beating some of Britain’s finest athletes including Beth Tweddle, cyclist Emma Pooley, Olympian skeleton rider Amy Williams and heptathlete Jessica Ennis.

Saracens flanker Alphonsi won acclaim for her ferocious tackling as England reached the 2010 Rugby World Cup final and was shortlisted for player of the tournament.

Others among the silverware included Great Britain rowers Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkiss, who won Best Team of the Year, and swimmer Fran Halsall, who won Young Sportswoman of the Year.

In the past 22 years, some of the country’s greatest sporting names have been honoured at the awards, including Sally Gunnell, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Denise Lewis, Dame Kelly Holmes, Rebecca Adlington and Victoria Pendleton.