Former Eastern Daily Press reporter John Kitson has received an MBE from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace.

John, who retired from the Archant-owned newspaper in 1999, travelled to the palace to collect the award for his services to the blind after being made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

The journalist spent more than 40 years writing for the Eastern Daily Press, and for the past 21 years he has also been heavily involved with Link Up, a talking newspaper for the blind which he co-launched with Ted Finch, who died this year.

Using articles from the EDP and its sister weekly papers which are read on to tapes, Link Up now serves more than 150 people in Breckland.

It currently has 40 volunteers and John dedicated his award to all those who have made it possible to run the service.

During his career he worked in various district offices for the EDP after starting out in its Norwich head office, and spent 29 years as chief reporter at the paper's Thetford office.

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail pastill@nep.co.uk