BRITAIN'S finest in fleet were recognised on Wednesday evening at the 1998 Fleet News Awards with 31 awards being presented to fleet managers, leading industry figures, vehicle manufacturers and fleet service companies.

About 1,100 people from across the fleet industry attended the 10th anniversary awards night at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, which was compered by television personality Des O'Connor with music from ex-Three Degrees singer Sheila Ferguson and the Del Bingley Band.

The top award of the night - UK Fleet of the Year - was won by British Gas Services with the award presented to fleet manager Paul Holmes, who is in charge of the company's 6,500-strong fleet.

The three Fleet Manager of the Year Awards were won by Stan Ayling, head of transport and travel at the Inland Revenue, who repeated his triumph of two years ago in the large fleet category; Sue Tonks, fleet manager of the RSPCA, who in winning the medium fleet category repeated her triumph of five years ago with the Birmingham Midshires Building Society; and Patricia Millard, accounts department manager and fleet manager at Newton Abbot-based Nashua Photo, who won the small fleet category.

The night was a double triumph for the soon-to-retire Robert Constant, group transport manager, London Electricity, who won the Fleet Security Award and captured the Fleet Environmental Award for a record third time in succession, thereby truly earning the reputation as the fleet industry's 'Mr Green'. The Fleet Safety Award was won by David Footitt, transport manager of Luton-based NEWS Transport.

Two awards were presented for the first time - the Fleet Manufacturer of the Year Award which was won by Vauxhall with Toyota second and Nissan third, and the Fleet News Lifetime Achievement Award which was won by Freddie Aldous, who has spent more than 30 years in the industry and is president of both the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association and the European Car and Truck Rental Association and was recently appointed honorary chairman of National Car Rental.

The Fleet News Special Award was this year won by the RAC and its director of fleet and accident services Penny Hadfield for its support and financial backing of fleet manager training through the establishment of the RAC Scholarship in conjunction with the Institute of Car Fleet Management. In addition Kwik-Fit Fleet and Peugeot each won three awards and British Car Auctions and BMW each won two awards.