Brenda Bury, 23 - year - old painter who once protested to Sir Winston Churchill about pretty French girls taking part in an English university rag, has received the British painter's top honour. One of her paintings - of Mrs Julian Amery, wife of the Tory MP for Preston North - is to be hung at this year's Royal Academy summer exhibition in London. Said Brenda's mother, Mrs Mabel Bury, of Barnsley Road Brierley, near Barnsley, last night: "Of course she was much younger when she went to Downing -  Street. She is more grown up now." At the time Brenda was studying at Reading University. Rag organisers invited three French girls from Paris to join the procession because they said, "local girls lack glamour." Brenda and her friends thought differently. To prove their point they made their protest march to Downing - street in bathing suits and fancy dress. Brenda may be this year's youngest exhibiter. She had three pictures selected last year but none hung. When only seven she won a National Savings painting competition. Five years later she won a youth club painting competition. After an honour degree at Reading she thought of being a teacher but changed her mind. Then began her painting career. Now she intends specialising in the painting of children. Her latest work? She hopes Sir John Barbirolli, Halle Orchestra conductor, will sit for her.

FOOTNOTE May 2006: Brenda now lives in Toronto Canada and is married to scientist John Polanyi. She now works on both sides of the Atlantic from her base in Toronto. Read more about Brenda at www.brendabury.com

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