The great and the good of Malvern are waking up to the news they have been included in the Queen's birthday honours today.

George Chesterton, aged 89, has been awarded an MBE for services to the community.

He said: "I'm absolutely thrilled. I couldn't be more thrilled. It's totally undeserved, but whatever service I have given to Malvern is largely through the civic society.

"I've lived nearly all my life in Malvern, I'm very fond of it, and I wanted to do what I could to ensure it remains such a nice place."

Mr Chesterton served in the RAF during the Second World War, flying Stirling bombers, and taught at Malvern College from 1959 to 1982, when he retired after serving as acting headmaster. He played for Worcestershire County Cricket Club for seven years, and later became its president.

He has served as president for numerous organisations, most notably Malvern Civic Society, which has been involved with since its founding in 1958. He was chairman from 1985 to 1992, and president since.

In this time, the society's achievements included restoring the bandstand in Priory Park and the war memorial in Barnards Green, and the programme of blue plaques on buildings associated with famous people.

Paul Walker, the managing director of Malvern Instruments, has been awarded the MBE for services to international trade and local business support.

The firm, which designs and makes scientific instruments to measure the physical and chemical properties of materials, has won seven Queen's Awards for industry in its 40-year history, three of them during his time with the company.

It has subsidiaries in all major European markets, North America, China, Korea and Japan, a joint venture in India, a global distributor network and applications laboratories around the world.

Mr Walker said: "I'm delighted and humbled. As far Malvern Instruments goes, the award is really a reflection of the efforts and the quality of everyone who has worked for the company over the years to make it the success it is."

Mr Walker has been a director of Malvern Hills Science Park for ten years, was president of Hereford and Worcester Chamber of Commerce for five years, and has served on numerous enterprise partnerships and strategic advisory groups.