A REDDITCH woman has been selected to be part of a prestigious Earthwatch Institute fellowship, aiming to solve some of the most critical environmental issues of our time.

Aerospace giant Alcoa employee Freya Phillips, 20, will travel to the Haute Garonne region of the French Pyrenees next month to collect data and observe animals in the wild as well as collaborate with scientists on critical environmental research.

The aim is to is expand knowledge of how sustainability relates to life and communities.

Freya will join just 25 Alcoa employees from around the world and is the only one from the UK chosen to participate.

Alcoa plant manager, Todd Emerick, said he was delighted that Freya had been chosen.

"Freya has a keen interest in environmental matters and her participation and feedback will help Alcoa to understand the impact of our processes on the environment," he said.