University of Chester student, Lauren Kent-Walton, has bagged a national award for her impressive research on dolphins.

Ms Kent-Walton won the prestigious Undergraduate Recognition Award from the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) for her dissertation investigating dolphin behaviour.

The Psychology with Animal Behaviour student analysed online webcam data, watching captive bottlenose dolphins for 30 hours across various enclosures.

The 20-year-old, set to graduate with a first-class degree, will now enjoy a year’s free ASAB membership and will be featured on the association's education web pages.

Ms Kent-Walton was delighted with her achievement, saying: "I am very happy to be in receipt of the Undergraduate Recognition Award of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working on my dissertation, and I am grateful for the teaching I have received over the course of my time at university which has equipped me with the knowledge and skills to complete this work.

“I am especially thankful for the expert guidance from my supervisor, Dr Lindsay Murray, whose mentorship has been instrumental throughout completing my dissertation."

Her supervisor, Dr Lindsay Murray, associate professor of Animal Psychology at the University of Chester, added: "Congratulations to Lauren who is a very deserving recipient of this Award - she has spent long and unsociable hours dedicated to close observation of these magnificent marine mammals across the world."