A TEENAGER has been honoured for her amazing fighting spirit at a star-studded event.

The achievements of cystic fibrosis sufferer Caroline Shorthouse, 16, were last night celebrated when the ceremony was broadcast on satellite television channel Sky Real Lives.

The 16-year-old, who is currently taking her GCSEs, takes 70 pills a day, has daily physiotherapy and inhales antibiotics twice-a-day to ward off infection.

But she refuses to let it stand in the way of her dreams.

Caroline, of Bowfield Lane, Balderstone, beat dozens of other students to win an art, music and academic scholarship to Stonyhurst College with her clarinet playing a few years ago, even though her illness mainly affects the lungs.

Caroline also plays hockey for the school and will be touring South Africa with her team later this year.

Celebrities at the Cystic Fibrosis Trust Breathing Life Awards in London, also heard how Caroline, a member of the Combined Cadets Force, took part in 24-hour walking expeditions and an adventure training camp.

This year she took part in tactics, ambush drills, weapon handling and a 48-hour-exercise. She has also spoken at the Royal College of Nursing about living with the condition and hopes to help more in raising awareness.

At the awards night, Caroline was presented with the Adult Fighting Spirit Award by television presenters Ben Shephard and Gail Porter. She was applauded by presenters Carol Smillie and Dr David Bull and stars including Natalie Imbruglia, Phil Tufnell, Amanda Lamb, Christopher Biggins, JK & Joel, Du'aine Ledejo, Caroline Ferraday, Jenny Agutter, Bill Bryson and Mark Richardson.

In spite of suffering oral Crohn's disease, CF related arthritis and borderline diabetes, Caroline doesn't think life is that difficult.

She said: "I don't know anything else so I just get on with it. Playing the clarinet has really improved my lung capacity and so does all the exercise I do. The ceremony was fantastic and I got to meet the most amazing people, from celebrities to other people who suffer with CF. "

Cystic Fibrosis is the UK's most common life-threatening inherited disease. Internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, become clogged with thick sticky mucus resulting in chronic infections and inflammation in the lungs and difficulty digesting food.