Bradford's community heroes were today celebrating being honoured by the Queen.

The 11 people from the district given awards in the Queen's Birthday Honours List include teacher Peter Richardson, who received an MBE for services to special needs education in the city.

And Bradford Council leader Margaret Eaton received an OBE for her services to local Government and the community.

Mr Richardson, 54, a teacher at Haycliffe Special School in Bradford, said he was shocked to receive an MBE.

"I'm just so absolutely stunned to receive this," said Mr Richardson, of Haworth, who has taught at the school since it opened in 1975.

The music teacher said the MBE reflected the work carried out by all staff at the school.

"I've been thinking why I've been singled out as there are other teachers here who work just as hard or harder than me."

Conservative councillor Margaret Eaton said her OBE also reflected the hard work of everyone at Bradford Council.

"I am really quite staggered and feel totally overwhelmed," she said.

"It's an honour for everybody in local government."

An MBE was awarded to Patricia Wilson, pictured, of Hillcrest Road, Bradford, a technical officer for the Agricultural and Forestry section of the Environment Agency for her 15 years' work in waste management.

Mrs Wilson, 53, said she almost "fainted with surprise" when she discovered she had been honoured.

"I got the letter to say I was in the running but the news has still come as a surprise - a very pleasant one," said the mother-of-two.

Elizabeth Eccles, of Shipley, was awarded a DBE (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for her services as Head of Resource Allocation with the Department of Health.

Mohammed Akram Khan-Cheema, of Oakwood Drive, Bingley, received an OBE for his role as a consultant to the Association for Muslim Schools.

And John Briggs, of Keighley, was awarded an MBE for his services to the Sea Cadet Corps, of which he has been President for the past 16 years.

Other recipients of awards on the Honours List were Linda Campbell, of Oxenhope, who received an OBE for her work as chief executive of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service; Betty Patchett, of Skipton, who was awarded an MBE for her work with Skipton Hospital's League of Friends; and youth worker Denise Bedford of Mirfield, who received an MBE for services to young people in Kirklees Council's Youth Service.

PC David Stockport, who was born and educated in Skipton and is the Joint Branch Board Secretary of North Yorkshire Police Federation, also received an MBE.

PC Stockport, 54, is based in Knaresborough and joined the police service as a cadet in the then West Riding Constabulary in 1966.

Professor Alastair Hay, of Arthington, near Otley, was awarded an OBE for his work as professor of environmental toxicology at Leeds University.

And Alec Bloom, the man behind an the Hospital Heartbeat Appeal to buy an ultra-sound scanner for Bradford Royal Infirmary, was awarded an MBE.