Filtronic boss Professor David Rhodes has received one of his profession's greatest awards from the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Executive Chairman of Filtronic plc, today received the Royal Academy of Engineering's highest award - the Prince Philip Medal.

The award was made in recognition of his "exceptional contribution to engineering."

There are only eight previous winners, all eminent recipients, including Sir Frank Whittle in 1991 for the development of the jet engine, Professor Charles Kao in 1996 for the invention of optical fibres; and Sir John Browne, chief Executive of BP Amoco plc, in 1999 for his engineering and managerial achievements in creating Britain's biggest company

Today Professor Rhodes (pictured) said he was delighted by the award.

"It is the number one award for any form of engineering worldwide.

"They don't award it very often and so I am extremely proud to receive it."

Professor Rhodes founded Filtronic plc more than 20 years ago, which, now with nine subsidiary companies, has annual sales of £250 million, mainly in mobile communications and defence electronic equipment.

The company has 3,000 employees in 17 facilities on four continents.

Prince Philip, as the academy's Senior Fellow, presented Professor Rhodes with the solid gold medal at The Academy Awards Dinner in London last night.

The academy says the award is unusual because it is not made every year, "but only to honour the greatest engineering advances and is regarded as a shining example of a true researcher who has turned his skills to the successful exploitation of his work on the world stage, without losing touch with his technological base."

Filtronic gained success by spotting that its microwave ideas could be used in mobile phone technology - and was carried along by the massive demand for handsets.

And it also used its technology to help identify aircraft by their radar signals and communicating with space probes.

Professor Rhodes said the success of the Shipley-based business was "the ability to attract and retain a significant number of very talented engineers!"

The company's products are used in wireless communication infrastructure equipment, cellular handsets and electronic defence systems.