THE city's long-serving sword bearer - who met the Queen when she visited Worcester - has been honoured with a painted portrait.

Frank Southam said the royal visit in 2012 was the highlight of his 28-year career as the city's sword bearer.

Mr Southam started working for Worcester City Council in 1968, although he became a sword bearer when he retired in 1993.

Speaking about the finished painting, Mr Southam said: "When I saw the finished portrait, I was amazed by its resemblance and quality. It was well above my expectations, it’s just fantastic.”

A Worcester City Council spokesman said: "The highlight of his 28 years of service was when the Queen visited Worcester in 2012 and he formally welcomed her outside the gates of the Guildhall by presenting the hilt of his sword for her to touch.

"He will undoubtedly be remembered as a symbolic figure in Worcester’s history as his role as sword bearer has been around since 1621 when King James I introduced it in a royal charter."

Mr Southam previously told the Worcester News: "It [the sword] weighs 10 lbs which doesn’t sound very much but it’s a lot when you’re holding upright for an hour. And the costume weighs a ton.”

The oil painting was created by artist Francesca Currie, a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, and was unveiled in the Guildhall.

Ms Currie's numerous commissions include the official portrait of the current Bishop of Worcester.

Mr Southam, originally from Hanley, in Stoke-on-Trent, first came to Worcester in 1963, where his family ran a hardware store in New Street.

He participated in two three hour sittings with Ms Currie, one of which took place in her studio and one in the Mayor’s Parlour.

The portrait is now hanging in the lower hall of the Guildhall.