A Surbiton doctor has scooped a prize from a literary awards event which helps put the spotlight on Black and Asian female authors.

Mother of four, Shereen Tadros, won the award for her novel, Say Goodbye to Her.

The judging panel was unanimous in its praise of the manuscript, set in Alexandria in the 1950s, and the depiction of the life of its central protagonist, Dalia.

Shereen was awarded £3,000 and the opportunity to have her work showcased.

The SI Leeds Literary prize is a national award that helps discover exciting new talent from Black and Asian women, a group under-represented on our bookshelves.

The 2018 judging panel was chaired by Professor Susheila Nasta MBE, founder and editor-in-chief of Wasafiri magazine and the co-editor of the first Cambridge History of Black and Asian British Writing.

She said: “This year's entries offered up a feast of new writing, exciting new fictions by up and coming voices, transporting the reader across diverse worlds and into the lives of British communities.”

The SI Leeds Literary Prize has a series of events planned to celebrate the work of women of colour.

Further information about the prize and tickets for the awards ceremony can be found at www.sileedsliteraryprize.com.