INSPIRATIONAL schoolteacher Sharron Hardman has been honoured with an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Miss Hardman (48), a special needs teacher at Gorsefield County Primary in Radcliffe, said she was "shell-shocked" by the award.

"I got the letter informing me in May but I had to keep it a secret until this weekend. At first I thought the letter was junk mail and even when I opened it and saw it was from 10 Downing Street I initially thought it was a joke."

Her name was put forward by a group of grateful parents at the Robertson Street school, where Miss Hardman has taught for 13 years.

Prior to that she taught special needs pupils at Wesley Methodist Primary School in Radcliffe for 13 years.

Miss Hardman, pictured with pupil Amy Heath (7), was born in the town, but now lives in Cheadle. She has suffered from scoliosis, severe curvature of the spine, since she was ten-years-old and it is partly because of her own disability that she has so much empathy with her pupils.

"I'm really pleased that the MBE will convey to them that anything is possible. I strongly believe in inclusive education," she said.

"Every child, whether able-bodied, disabled or with special needs, brings something different to school life."

It is not the first time Miss Hardman's dedication has been recognised.

Last June she received the the Award for Excellence in Special Needs Teaching at the North West Teaching Awards.

News of her MBE was broken to the pupils at Monday morning (June 17) assembly and she received a round of applause.

Headteacher Mr Chris Blomerley said: "Sharron is an absolutely wonderful teacher who has done great things for the school. We are all absolutely delighted for her."

Former Prestwich journalist Don Hale has been awarded an OBE for his services to campaigning journalism.

Mr Hale is a former editor of the Bury Messenger and his late parents lived in Lime Grove, Prestwich.

After becoming the editor of the Matlock Mercury, near Bakewell, Mr Hale spearheaded a six-year campaign for justice for Stephen Downing who spent 27 years in prison for the killing of a young typist in 1973.

Mr Hale generated massive national and international interest with his campaign and in January this year the Court of Appeal in London overturned 45-year-old Mr Downing's conviction after it said it could not be sure of the man's original confessions.

Mr Downing was set free with the potential of claiming millions of pounds in compensation.

The head of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers' recruitment team for the North Manchester area, Sergeant Lee Snelling, has been awarded the MBE.

The 31-year-old, who is based at Bury's Wellington Barracks, earned the honour in recognition of his "dedicated service above and beyond the call of duty with regard to recruiting" for the regiment.

Sgt Snelling came to Bury in November, 1999, and quickly established an effective recruitment programme which has seen hundreds of lads from Bury, Rochdale, Salford and Oldham joining the rank and file of the Fusiliers.

Born in Royston, Cambridgeshire, Sgt Snelling's parents were both in the armed forces and he spent most of his young life living around the world at military bases. He joined the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1986 and has completed tours of duty in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, the Falklands, the Gulf, Kosovo, Gibraltar and Germany.

He said: "This is has come as a very big surprise. I have looked at an MBE in the barrack's museum at Bury and it is beautiful."

Ex-Bury Grammar pupil Dr Gill Samuels has received a CBE her services to the bioscience and pharmaceutical industries. Dr Samuels works as a biologist and science policy director for Pfizer in Kent, having joined the firm in 1978.

A former deputy head teacher at Parrenthorn High School in Prestwich has just been presented with her MBE which she was awarded in the New Year's Honours List. Mrs Maureen Cooper travelled to Buckingham Palace with her husband Roy, daughter Judith Smith, and son Dr Tony Cooper, to accept the accolade from Prince Charles.

She received the honour for services to Rochdale Childer , a charity caring for deprived children in Rochdale, and for service to the community of Lancashire.

Mrs Cooper, who lives in Norden, has spent more than 30 years helping needy children, including working with Prestwich & Whitefield Rotary Club to fill emergency boxes for overseas disaster areas. She is now retired, having served as deputy head at Parrenthorn from 1974 to 1990, and is a member of Lowes Park Golf Club in Bury.