A DESIGNER from Okehampton has been knighted and a community volunteer from Lydford awarded a BEM on the New Year's Honours list.

Designer Sir Kenneth Grange CBE has been knighted for his multiple innovative designs.

Now a Royal College of Art visiting professor, Sir Kenneth created the InterCity 125 train, Britain's first parking meter, angle-poise lamps and the Kenwood Chef mixer. He was also behind Kodak's Instamatic camera, and has designed Wilkinson Sword razors, typewriters for Imperial, and clothes irons for Morphy Richards.

He has won ten Design Council Awards, and became a CBE in 1984. He is the only person to have won the Prince Philip design prize twice, in 1966 and 2001.

The son of a policeman, he grew up in London's East End before moving to Wembley during the second world war. He won a scholarship to Willesden School of Arts and Crafts, where he studied drawing and lettering.

His firm Kenneth Grange Design was formed in 1956, and in 1972 Sir Kenneth was one of the founding partners of the Pentagram design consultancy in London.

Susan Holland from Lydford has been recognised with a British Empire Medal for her services to the community.

She takes bookings and helps to run Nicholls Hall, the community hall that hosts regular events for villagers.

As a member of the hall committee, Susan is part of the team that helps to organise the hall's drop-in meal service on Tuesday mornings, and community bistros that help to raise funds for local organisations.

She said: 'I am very pleased to have been mentioned on the New Year's Honours list. It is something that a lot of people in Lydford deserve just as much, as they quietly get on with things and organise things for the community. Lydford has a great community spirit, and so many people are a part of that.'