GINA Hearn, former chairman of Pendle Young Conservatives, has received the Order of the British Empire in John Major's resignation honours list.

Mrs Hearn, 40, constituency secretary to the former Prime Minister for the past five years, is one of 60 political friends and party workers honoured by Mr Major.

Before becoming the former premier's link with constituents at his Huntingdon constituency, Mrs Hearn was personal assistant to ex-Pendle Tory MP John Lee before his General Election defeat in 1992.

Born in Stockport, she moved to Brierfield when she married Burnley man David Hearn, who once unsuccessfully contested a seat for the Conservatives on Burnley Council.

She was chairman of the local constituency's Young Conservatives when she first met Mr Lee. When he was elected in 1979, he asked her to become his secretary at the House of Commons.

There she met Mr Major and first worked for him during his secretary's holidays.

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