EIGHT people have rounded off a fantastic year for Comet country by being honoured by the Queen.

Stotfold cycling queen Victoria Pendleton topped off an Olympic year with a CBE, while Hitchin saw four of its residents honoured.

Diane Burleigh got an OBE for services to the legal profession and Hannah Seakins and Jane White got OBEs for military operations and services to the community respectively, while Robert Girvan received the new British Empire Medal.

Letchworth GC stalwart John Stoddard got an MBE for services to the community, with Stevenage council leader Sharon Taylor and former county council chief executive Caroline Tapster getting OBEs and CBEs respectively for services to local government.

See Thursday’s Comet for interviews and reaction from those honoured.