CARPET baron Michael Brinton has been appointed the Queen's official representative county-wide.

The monarch has confirmed the appointment of Mr Brinton, 59, as Lord Lieutenant for Worcestershire. Michael Brinton, right, with outgoing Worcestershire Lord Lieutenant Sir Thomas Dunne when the Kidderminster carpet firm won the Queen's Award for exports in 1998.

The chairman of Kidderminster carpet giant Brintons, which supplies various royal households with its award-winning products, takes over from Sir Thomas Dunne, who will remain in the role for Herefordshire.

A delighted Mr Brinton said: "I am very surprised and honoured to receive this position.

"This stands head and shoulders above anything else I have achieved."

He added: "Sir Thomas was in the job for 24 years and will be a very hard act to follow but he has kindly offered to give me any help and advice I need.

"I can't be Lord Lieutenant for 24 years, as one has to step down at the age of 75, but I do have a few years left before I reach that age!"

Mr Brinton's post will involve representing the Queen in the county and maintaining regular contact with the emergency services.

However, he will not be daunted by the task as he has met the monarch in the past.

He said: "I doubt if she remembers me but I remember our encounters. She puts people at ease and is a pleasure to deal with."

And will there be a future royal visit to Wyre Forest? Mr Brinton said: "We shall try our best. My first duty will be to meet the Earl and Countess of Wessex at the Three Counties show later this month."

The carpet chief has held the deputy Lord Lieutenant role for a decade - he was one of 21 deputies in the country.

He is married to Angela, a former chairman of Kidderminster NHS Trust, and has three grown-up children.

As company chairman for the last 10 years he has steered the Kidderminster firm to land prestigious contracts such as Hong Kong International Airport and luxury cruise ships Aurora and Oriana.

It has also been bestowed the prestigious Queen's Award for exports and last month scooped a manufacturing "Oscar" at the 2001 Manufacturing Excellence Awards.

Last year the firm smashed its financial records to break through the £10 million profit barrier for the first time.

It also saw world-wide sales rise to £112 million bucking the trend of tough times for the industry.