Today we can proudly reveal the winners of the inaugural Great Yarmouth Mercury awards.

We asked our readers to nominate their candidates for the awards' eight categories, such as teacher of the year and business of the year.

We then whittled down the army of entries to just three in each category and asked readers to vote for them.

And our readers did not disappoint us as hundreds of votes poured in for each of the eight categories.

Great Yarmouth Mercury editor Anthony Carroll said: "We launched our Mercury Awards 2021 to recognise all that is great in our borough, from fantastic fundraisers to events that captured the public's imagination.

"We had hundred of votes sent in for each category, which was brilliant to see.

"I could not have imagined how well the awards would have received. They have seen votes pouring in by email, by the internet and by letter.

"It just shows that people across our borough want to thank and praise those who contribute so much to our communities, such as doctors, teachers, shops owners and kind-hearted fundraisers.

"Well done to all our winners and the runners-up. Everyone is a winner in my eyes and I thank them all for what they do in our communities to make the borough such a great place to live and work in.

"I am glad to say the awards will be held next year and it will be great to see even more nominations and votes flood in."

The winners are:

Pub landlord of the year:

Ricky and Lauren Finch of The Rumbold Arms, Great Yarmouth

Uniformed hero of the year:

Hemsby Lifeboat

Fresh idea of the year:

Fire on the Water

Moment of the year:

Banksy's Spraycation

Young person of the year:

Tia Hutchinson

Community hero:

Sue Wharton-Weaver

Teacher of the year:

Saul Garthwaite, Peterhouse Church of England Primary School 308

Business owner of the year:

Jeffrey Allen of Allens Butcher's, Hemsby

The runners-up were:

Pub landlord of the year:

Paul Hodgson of the Tombstone Brewery, Great Yarmouth

Ruben Cruz of Bar 37, Great Yarmouth

Uniformed hero of the year:

Dr Jamie Maclean of Park Surgery, Great Yarmouth

PC David Howarth, Gorleston beat manager

Fresh idea of the year

Magpies Baby Group

Freshly Greated

Moment of the year:

Out There Festival

Fire on the Water

Young person of the year:

Amelia Balls

Mabel Shields

Community hero:

Liz Townson

Hannah Ashpole

Teacher of the year:

Isabel Carter, Ormiston Herman Academy

Emma Stevenson, Cobholm Primary Academy

Business owner of the year:

Emma Bailey of The Gossip hair salon, Gorleston

Mark Smith of Just Designed, Gorleston

We will be profiling each of the winners on our website and Facebook page in the coming days.