"Superwoman" Linda Wilden has been crowned Birmingham's PA of the year.

Mrs Wilden, who works at Birmingham University's Vice Chancellor's office, received the accolade for her unfailing readiness to go the extra mile.

She was awarded the title at a glittering ceremony at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham city centre, scooping a string of prizes including a meal on the Orient Express.

Her boss, Vice Chancellor Michael Stirling, and the office team are used to seeing her work 12-hour days – and have recently reported sightings of her in the office on Sunday directing workmen on a refurbishment of the premises.

The event was sponsored by The Birmingham Post, Heart FM and Tirebuck Career Solutions.

Mrs Wilden won dinner and an overnight stay at the MacDonald Burlington Hotel, #500 to spend at Harvey Nicholls, a fine dining experience on the Orient Express and a pamper weekend at the MacDonald Brandon Hotel.

Picking up her prize from Tirebuck MD Karen Tirebuck, Mrs Wilden said: "I'm so shocked. Before I came a colleague asked me if I had prepared an acceptance speech, and I said, 'no way', there's no chance I will win. I'm absolutely thrilled.

"The nicest part for me is that team members nominated me and that counts a lot."

The judges learned that as well as "the usual diary headaches", travel arrangements and email traffic, Mrs Wilden made sure the VC was where he is supposed to be and drafted most of his correspondence and paperwork, as well as acting as office manager of the Vice Chancellor's suite.

"Calmness is the main attribute you need in my job," she said.

"My boss might be flapping but he looks to me to remain calm and bring things back together. Having the uncanny knack of knowing what he wants before he knows he wants it. That's something you develop from experience and knowing the issues he is involved in.

"I think the PA role has changed over the last 10-to-15 years for the better with improving technology, so bosses do a lot of their admin work themselves and PAs like myself have opportunities to get involved in things like project management. But you have to grasp them yourself and take on new challenges – you can't wait for them to come to you."

The two runners up received a cheque for #250.

Runner-up Nicola Beaumont, from Sheldon, is PA to communications managers Lisa Dunn and Cait Allen at Heart of England NHS Trust. According to her bosses, other departments regularly try to poach her. Her daily tasks can span organising a BBC visit to setting up appraisals for Human Resources.

"Prioritising work for both of my bosses, adapting to their different management styles, and working out what is important is key, and winning their trust so you can take more on board for them.

"My bosses never mentioned I had been nominated. It is quite rare for PAs and secretaries to be recognised and it is really nice that I'm appreciated."

Fellow runner-up Rachel North is PA to Robert Duque-Ribeiro at Fair Isaac. Whether finding a helicopter in Brazil, tracking lost luggage in Paris, or whizzing over to Ireland to pick up her boss's forgotten passport, she remained "professional and unflappable", he said.

She has been with the company for two years but started her current job six months ago. "I had to hit the ground running," she said. "You have to have a lot of respect for who you work for, and work on having a good relationship with them."