IT was a right royal day out for Cyril Norman when he took his family to London - they watched as he was invested with the MBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

"It was overwhelming," he said. "I felt so proud when Her Majesty pinned the MBE on my lapel in front of my dear wife Elsie and the family. I have spent my whole life in the village, and it is a great honour, not just for me, but for Eastham and Tenbury Wells too."

Accompanied by his wife Elsie, " who sat as near to the Queen as you can get", son David, and daughter Carol, Cyril described his day as a wonderful and moving experience.

"It runs so smoothly. Before you go up for your medal, they clip a small hook to your lapel for the Queen to hang the medal on, and an equerry quietly tells her who you are and you share a few words," he said.

"All the family turned up and it was a great moment when I went out into the Palace Yard wearing my medal. My son-in-law Peter, daughter-in-law Sally, six grandchildren and a couple of boyfriends were waving and cheering through the railings. Afterwards we had a celebration lunch"

Cyril's award is for services to local government. He was Parish Clerk at Eastham for 50 years. .

He also served as chairman of the memorial hall committee, church warden and principal organiser of the Eastham Flower Show and Fete. For 37 years he was a postman and staff representative at the sorting office in Tenbury.