A FOREST couple are 'very proud and happy' after their son was called to Buckingham Palace to receive the MBE awarded in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

"It was a big thrill to hear all about it, and to see the picture," said Mrs Kaye Dodington, of Netherend.

Alan had given up spare time and holidays to run medical, food and building supplies to needy centres in Bulgaria, working with the Bulgaria Appeal organised by the Baptist church in Barrow-on-Soar.

He was then serving with the RAF at Cranwell and is now based in Cambridgeshire where he still finds time for the sort of work that earned him his honour despite raising two growing boys, who both went up to the Palace with Alan to collect the medal.

"Of course he was thrilled to bits about it all," said Mrs Dodington.

"I think the first thing he knew about it was when his commanding officer called him in and told him he was off to Buckingham Palace," said his father, Gordon Dodington.

The Dodingtons moved to the Forest from Cardiff some time ago, and Alan attended Wyedean School before starting his career in the Military Police.