Malala Yousafzai presented 'Pride of Britain' by Beckham

She is the remarkable teenager who defied terrorists who shot her in the head and inspired the world to sit up and listen about education rights for girls.

But when Malala Yousafzai received a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award from sporting icon David Beckham, for a brief moment it was possible to see a glimpse of the shy schoolgirl hiding behind the global campaigner.

Malala giggled about David’s height as they lined up for the presentation, and said excitedly: “I didn’t know you would be here.”

But she soon recovered her composure and quizzed the football star about his role as a Unicef ambassador.

Sixteen-year-old Malala was nominated for the Award by thousands of members of the public for her courage in standing up against terrorists – just a year after they almost killed her.

The schoolgirl was shot by gunmen last October in an attempt to silence her calls for girls at her home in Pakistan’s Swat Valley to have equal access to education.

She was in a coma for eight days and flown to the UK to be treated in Birmingham, where a titanium plate was fitted to her skull.

But determined Malala refused to let the extremists win. After starting at Edgbaston High School in Birmingham in March, she set up the Malala Fund to help finance education for girls in disadvantaged countries.

She received a standing ovation in July when she addressed the UN in New York and is tipped to be named as the youngest-ever recipient of a Nobel Prize later this month.

Handing Malala our Teenager of Courage Award in London, Becks said: “You’re an amazing young lady whose story has moved millions.

"I’m privileged to present this award to you.”

Malala said: “It is such an honour to receive this award. It will help me continue my campaign.”

Malala’s remarkable story is just one of the highlights of tomorrow night’s 15th annual Pride of Britain Awards, sponsored by Lidl.

A boy will find out tomorrow that he has won a Pride of Britain Award when a telly favourite surprises him by landing in the school playground in a helicopter to whisk him off to the awards.

The awards will be screened on Tuesday night on ITV and are packed with brilliant surprises and inspirational campaigners and children.

Hosted by Carol Vorderman at the Grosvenor House hotel in London, Prince Charles and Prince William are taking part.

The star-studded guest list also includes Nicole Scherzinger, Jimmy Carr, and Usain Bolt.


/Daily Mirror/