THREE East Lancashire residents are rubbing shoulders with the stars in this year's New Year's Honours List for their tireless work improving life in the community.

Accrington teacher Anjum Anwar, who has toured schools throughout Lancashire as part of a project to tackle the modern misconceptions about Islam, has been awarded an MBE.

She has been joined by Marion Barrett, from Foster Road, Barnoldswick, who was made an MBE for her services to the community.

And former Detective Inspector Joyce Green, Lancashire Constabulary's domestic violence co-ordinator, has also been made an MBE in the New Year Honours' List.

Anjum, 48, who was born in Pakistan but moved to Accrington when she was nine, was appointed as a project worker for Understanding Islam - a scheme set up more than two years ago by they Lancashire Council of Mosques and Lancashire County Council.

Since then she has toured schools across Lancashire talking about Islam, organising mosque tours and training teachers about the religion.

Anjum said the depth of ignorance about Islam was quite a shock given one in nine people in East Lancashire is Muslim, according to the 2001 census.

The mother-of-one said: "Islam has been demonised and presented in a manner which is not conducive to good community cohesion.

"There is a lot of misinformation which makes life difficult for Muslims living in UK or other parts of the world.

"The project has been very successful in providing correct information about the fastest growing religion."

Marion, 56, who has a daughter, 21, and son, 18, was nominated by colleagues at Colne Job Centre where she has worked for 30 years.

As well as helping people find employment and offering benefit advice for three decades Marion has also been a governor at Coates Lane Primary School, Barnoldswick, donated 50 pints of blood, volunteered for meals on wheels and helped out at Barnoldswick Cricket Club.

Today Marion spoke of her shock at the accolade.

She said: "It is a surprise and I was not expecting anything like this. It came out of the blue.

"Everybody just does their job. You think it is famous people who get awards like this."

Though newly retired, Joyce Green still works as a domestic violence volunteer, being secretary of the Rossendale Domestic Violence Forum and a worker with the Pendle Domestic Violence Initiative.

She said: "I am delighted with the award, which recognises the contribution of the domestic violence unit. Lancashire has always been at the forefront of such work and it would never have been the case had it not been for the support of the Chief Constable and his team.

"By rising to the challenge we were able to approach all the problems associated with such violence and develop a unit that became widely regarded as among the best of its kind in the country."