THE Queen's Birthday Honours List sparked royal celebrations in the households of four eminent people in the borough.

They are: Bury's first Man of the Year, Ainslie Dures; Dr Helen Gilchrist, principal of Bury College; Greater Manchester Police's first Asian officer, Mohammed Shafiq; and self-taught school computer technician Peter Gibbons.

Mr Dures (72), of Greymont Road, received the MBE for his work with the voluntary services. He is the present chairman of Bury Council for Voluntary Service; the vice-chairman of Bury Elders Forum; is heavily involved in the NHS National Service Framework for older people and with transport and also with the Bury Public Voice on Policing Committee.

Mr Dures is married to Joy, and has five children and seven grandchildren.

Dr Gilchrist (52) has been awarded a CBE. She said "I was thrilled, shocked and delighted when I found out. I see it as a shared honour with Bury, the college staff and students."

Dr Gilchrist, of Hebden Bridge, took up the job in 1995. Before that, she was principal of Nelson and Colne College.

Five months after retiring from the Force, Radcliffe's Mohammed Shafiq has been awarded a Queen's Police Medal. Mr Shafiq (51) was the first Asian officer to join the ranks of Greater Manchester Police 29 years ago. He worked his way up the career ladder, receiving four commendations along the way, and was detective inspector at the time of his retirement.

The father-of-three said: "I am delighted to receive this award. I feel that the support shown by the force, my colleagues and my family have been instrumental in my career as a police officer and so this award is just as much for them as it is for me."

Mr Gibbons, who works at Philips High School in Whitefield, was shocked to learn he had been awarded an MBE.

The 50-year-old grandfather-of-four started working at the Whitefield school eight years ago with little IT knowledge and is now responsible for the school's entire computer system. His award is for services to education.