A VETERENARIAN from Sunninghill beat out more than 17,000 nominees to win a national award.

Sunninghill Veterinary Centre’s principal surgeon, Johanna Headley, was named Vet of The Year at the 2017 Petplan Veterinary Awards on Thursday April 6.

Held at a glistening ceremony at the Town Hall in Birmingham, the event celebrated the nation’s most outstanding veterinary staff who always go the extra mile to help their clients and pets.

Johanna said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic. I wasn’t expecting to win at all, so this is a real surprise. I just want to say a huge thank you to those who nominated me.

“And a huge thanks to all of my staff for supporting me every day. What a brilliant feeling.”

The judges felt Johanna places her patients at the forefront of what she does, always supporting them through ‘consistent understanding and compassion’.

One example highlighted was when a client’s dog had to be put to sleep, and Johanna stayed with the owner long after its passing to discuss cremation plans.

A spokesman for Petplan said: “It’s this dedication to ensuring the welfare of both pets and owners that has resulted in Johanna being awarded the Vet of The Year award.”