Journalist Bob Drayton has received his MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to journalism and the local community.

Bob, who is deputy group editor of the ten Newsquest titles published at Taunton, was awarded the medal in the New Year Honours List.

He began his latest stint at the company in 1983 and was previously editor of the Chard and Ilminster News.

Bob started as a cub reporter on the same newspaper in 1968 and was editor for three years until 1987 when he was made deputy group editor at Taunton.

He said: “It was a wonderful experience and something we will always remember.

“I felt very honoured. The ceremony was British pomp and pageantry at its finest, with Yeomen of the Guard and Coldstream Guards on duty and a military band playing from the gallery.

“Sadly, it was all over very quickly and my feet are now firmly back on the ground.”

The Queen asked Bob about the newspapers in the series and also the Chard flower show, which he revived as a carnival event in the 1980s.

He was accompanied to the Palace by his wife Carol, son Paul and mother Edie.

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