A school dinner lady has received the MBE in the New Year's Honours List.

Christine Townend, 60, of Lawkholme Lane, Keighley, will be taking a trip to Buckingham Palace later this year to pick up her award for services to education.

Mrs Townend has worked at Eastwood Primary School as a lunchtime supervisor for the past 31 years. She was first invited to join the lunchtime staff when her son, Richard, joined the school on its old Marlborough Street site.

She said she was delighted when she heard the news about the honour although she had to keep it to herself.

"I daren't say anything but I was bursting. I was surprised and highly delighted to think that someone has put my name down for doing my job," she said.

"It's quite awesome really."

Mrs Townend said that she loved working with the children because it kept her young.

"The school has changed quite a lot while I've been there," she said.

"It was just five to seven year-olds when I started.

"Like any job you get used to it but every day is different and you just get on with it."

She is already making plans to buy a new outfit and hat for her big day.

She said she had not yet been told how many guests she could bring but hoped as many members of her family as possible could attend the occasion.

She said: "I'm not really one to be in the limelight but it's really exciting. I have just come out of hospital after having a knee replacement so it will help me to recover."

Last year Mrs Townend wept with joy when pupils presented her with flowers, cards, a birthday cake and money to celebrate her 60th birthday.

At the time teacher Steve Loryman said: "This is the second and third generation of children she is seeing now. She was in control of some of the children's parents and even grandparents. She is a very special lady."

l North Yorkshire Chief Constable Della Cannings was awarded a Queen's Medal in the honours list in recognition of 30 years in the police service.

She has been police chief in the county for three years and is currently chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers Women's Forum.