ASHES hero Ashley Giles and his England team-mates will be invited to a celebratory lunch at Worcester County Hall to commemorate their summer of success.

The Droitwich Spa resident, whose batting exploits in the last two tests were vital in helping win the historic urn, is also being sent a letter of congratulations from the county council.

However, chairman Derek Prodger wanted to extend his gratitude to the entire Ashes squad for putting cricket firmly back on the map.

"It was a remarkable achievement and it raises the profile of cricket better than any other way I can imagine," he said.

"I intend to send Ashley Giles a note from the council congratulating him on his personal contribution, but then we will enquire whether the whole team would like to come to a reception at County Hall."

Councillor Prodger will suggest the invitation at the next full county council meeting on September 22.

"I am sure the council will be behind it 110 per cent," he added. "We want to congratulate Ashley - it's great to have some from Worcestershire part of this success - but we want to make sure we congratulate all the England team."

Prior to the nail-biting Test series, spin bowler Giles joked that he might be given the freedom of Droitwich if England beat the Australia to regain the Ashes for the first time in 18 years.

Team-mate Andrew Flintoff has been given the freedom of his home town, Preston, and Zimbabwe-born coach Dun-can Fletcher was made a UK citizen on Monday after 15 years of trying after special intervention by Home Secretary Charles Clarke.

However, while Droitwich's Mayor heaped praise on Giles, he said that making the Warwickshire player an honorary freeman of Droitwich - or bestowing a countywide award that had been called for by cricket-lovers such as MP Peter Luff - would be difficult.

"I checked the criteria and it's very much down to community service in the town over a number of years," Councillor Richard Morris told the Worcester News.

"We will have to look into it and see if there's another opportunity to celebrate the brilliant performance."