TWO Bradford women, a business owner and a biomedical scientist, have been recognised at an awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of Northern women.

The English Women Awards - North, was held in Manchester on Monday evening, and saw awards given to women from the fields of arts, business, science education and sport.

The awards honoured two Bradford women - Professor Diana Anderson, who works at the University of Bradford, was awarded for Services to Science & Technology and Sandra Corcoran, director of Pennine Cycles, picked up the award for Independent Retail Business of the Year.

The ceremony took place at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel, and it was the inaugural ceremony - it is inspired by a similar awards ceremony in Scotland.

There were 31 categories.

Prof Anderson, Established Chair of Biomedical Sciences at the University, has published over 400 papers and has dedicated her life to carrying out cutting-edge research to improve lives.

Her most recent work includes a blood test to help detect types of cancer and research on how smoking fathers can pass on damaged DNA to their children.

She had said she was proud to be nominated in a category “where women are often under represented.”

Prof Anderson is currently in America, and so her award was picked up by Mark Garratt, Director External Affairs at the University.

Afterwards he told the Telegraph & Argus: “It was a great shortlist, so it is a real testament to her work that the judges chose her to win.

“She’s been doing this for quite some years and she is still doing this work after decades of scientific endeavour.

“This award is great for Bradford and the University. It shows we lead the way in the field, and in gender diversity.

“She is also a great person, I’m honoured she asked me to pick up the award on her behalf.”

Mrs Corcoran and her husband Paul bought Pennine Cycles, on Thornton Road, Fairweather Green, in 2000, and have run the independent cycle business ever since.

It has become hugely popular with cyclists throughout Bradford and the wider Yorkshire area.

After the awards she said: “I think we were a really good fit for this award, we’re an independent business and we’ve been running it for 18 years, we have the history.

“We didn’t know who we were up against until the evening of the awards. At events like this everyone is a winner, it is great just being shortlisted, but it was great to win.

“It is a brilliant recognition, and wonderful to think that the judges have seen this in us when they made their decision. We provide people with advice and expertise as well as selling bikes, and I think this award recognised the extra we give customers.”