TWO men from the Malvern area were celebrating this week after being given knighthoods in the Queen's New Year Honours List.

Knightwick professor David Kerr was honoured for his contribution to cancer research, while Sir Michael Perry, from Alfrick, was honoured for his public service.

Professor Kerr, who was until recently a professor at the Institute for Cancer Studies at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire.

He recently moved to the University of Oxford to become a Rhodes Professor of Therapeutics and Cancer Medicine and is Professor Elect to the department of Clinical Pharmacology.

In his work, he has urged doctors to become more pro-active against smoking and has voiced his views on controversial subjects such as the "postcode lottery" of cancer services.

Sir Michael's award is his third honour, after previously being made a Knight Batchelor and receiving OBE.

This time round he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire, after relinquishing his role as chairman of the Senior Salaries Review body after six years.

The role involved overseeing the salaries of top officials, including MPs, the judiciary and senior civil servants.

Sir Michael, who has lived in Alfrick for 20 years, said: "I'm retiring from that particular function, that was the reason for the honour. Obviously, I'm delighted."

"I retired as chairman of Unilever about five years ago, although I'm still chairman of Centrica and still commute up and down to London. I'm in Alfrick about half the time."

Sir Michael is also involved with the Dyson Perrins Museum and is helping to raise funds to build a new Acorns Children's Hospice. He moved to Alfrick with his Worcestershire-born wife and their three children but hails originally from the Isle of Man.