TUESDAY was the day of a lifetime for Malvern councillor Jennette Davy, who received her MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

Coun Davy was made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June for her services to the community.

"It was a fabulous day," said coun Davy, who represents Langland on Worcestershire County Coun- cil.

"It will be weeks before I really assimilate the experience."

As well as her work as a councillor, she has been involved in a number of community groups, including the Malvern Hills Citizens Advice Bureau, Langland Community Association, WRVS, Community Action and Langland Lions sports club.

Accompanied by her son Kevin, she travelled down to London, where they met her daughter and granddaughter and went to the Palace.

"Buckingham Palace is absolutely magnificent," said Coun Davy.

"It takes your breath away and you are just amazed at how much work must go into maintaining it."

The ceremony itself was held in a ballroom where the Queen's throne was set up, and dozens of honours winners from all walks of life were assembled.

"There was someone from the Yeoman of the Guard who was getting the Royal Victorian medal, there were people from the Red Cross, someone from the Parachute Regiment, a police woman from the Dounreay nuclear plant, and Pauline Collins, the actress," she said.

"There was even somebody from the Inland Revenue!"

When the time came for Coun Davy to meet the Queen, she said she was so nervous that she forgot to say "ma'am" or "your majesty".

"As my son said afterwards when I told him, 'So basically you just babbled at the Queen'."

Following the ceremony, Coun Davy and her family had lunch in the West End and visited various sights before returning home.