ENGLAND bowler James Anderson, an anti-Apartheid activist nicknamed 'The White Zulu' and the driving force behind a new park are among 11 people from East Lancashire rewarded in the Queen's birthday honours.

A CBE was awarded to Hamid Patel, the chief executive Tauheedul Education for services to education in Blackburn.

He said: "I am absolutely thrilled and incredibly humbled, it was such a big surprise. Whilst the honour has my name on it, I'm very clear that this is for all of the staff at Tauheedul, who work tirelessly every day to offer children at our schools an outstanding start in life.

"It is also thanks to the hard work and effort of Tauheedul students, that we are achieving such exciting things together."

An OBE was awarded to Jonathan 'Johnny' Clegg, from Bacup.

Mr Clegg is a musician and anti-Apartheid activist and gained the award for services to the arts and vulnerable people and children, and to democracy in South Africa.

He has recorded and performed with his bands Juluka and Savuka, and more recently as a solo act, occasionally re-uniting with his earlier band partners.

Sometimes called The White Zulu, he is an important figure in South African popular music history, with songs that mix Zulu with English lyrics and African with various Western music styles.

Another OBE goes to Chief Superintendent Irene Curtis, from Clitheroe.

She is the most senior female officer at Lancashire Constabulary and national president of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales.

A couple from Slaidburn Julie Patricia Elliot and Roger Alan Elliot will be given MBEs for services to adoption.

And the chief executive of Blackburn-based wallpaper firm Graham and Brown, Andrew Graham, was given an MBE for his services to young people and manufacturing.

Mr Graham has been the driving force behind Blackburn's state-of-the-art Youth Zone in Jubilee Street.

Others honoured with MBEs are Burnley's Kathleen Susan Marjorie Hughes, JP, for services to the community in Lancashire and Blackburn's Arif Mukadam, administrative officer HM Revenue and Customs for services to combatting tax credits, error and fraud and voluntary service to the community in Lancashire.

The British Empire Medal was awarded to Linda Dawson, from Hoddlesden for services to the Millennium Green in Hoddlesden and Carole Ann Garrett for services to enterprise and skills in Burnley.

Burnley-born, Mrs Dawson, 63 who has lived in Hoddlesden since 1979, said: "I was overwhelmed when I found out. My mother Monica died last year and I would have loved her to have been here but my father Eric still lives in Burnley and he's so proud."