NEW Forest district council's tourism and publicity officer Tony Climpson has been awarded an OBE for services to local government.

The 51 year-old, who lives in Bournemouth, has been with the council for 17 years, and was instrumental in their gaining beacon status for sustainable tourism earlier this year.

NFDC was the only council in the south east region to be rewarded by local government minister Nick Raynsford for the approach it has taken towards tourism, and many of the policy tools it has brought in are now used as models across the country.

A former president of the Tourism Management Institute, Mr Climpson previously worked for the Dorset Tourism Association and has been a member of several national tourism bodies.

Also honoured was John Macdougall Danning from Ringwood.

He is the Director of Flight Operations for FR Aviation, which operates special mission aircaft for the Ministry of Defence from its base at Bournemouth Airport.

He has received an MBE for services to the defence industry.