Bournemouth Daily Echo editor Neal Butterworth has been awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters.

He received the award at Bournemouth University's graduation day.

Neal has worked for the Bournemouth Daily Echo and its associated papers since 1998.

During this time the Echo has increased readership while winning prestigious awards for campaigning on humanitarian issues.

It has also made an impact in fundraising for the region, achieving over £6m for good causes.

The university recognised Neal for being "an independently minded editor and columnist", who has become a leading and influential figure in Bournemouth and the surrounding area, with an acute insight into public life and politics.

Speaking during the presentation at the Bournemouth International Centre, in front of several hundred graduates from the University Media School, he said: "Without the work of my colleagues at the Daily Echo, this could never have been achieved, so my thanks go to all of them and to my wonderful wife who has supported me for the past 24 years."

Neal trained on the Preston Polytechnic NCTJ course (1976-77) before becoming a reporter at the Stockport Express (1977-80).

He was appointed editor at Messenger Newspaper - South Manchester (1980-7), then assistant group editor of the Advertiser Series, Dorset, (1987-91), editor of the New Forest Post (1992-4), then editor of the NFP, Southampton Advertiser and Solent Advertiser (1994-6) and later executive editor, Free Newspapers, Southern Region, Southern Newspapers (1996-8).

He became editor of the Daily Echo and Dorset Advertiser Series in 1998.

He is also a former Manchester City FC Schoolboy and captain of England Public Schools.