A THEATRE director took centre stage as he received an honour for his dedication to amateur theatre in the North-East.

Fred Wharton, 70, of Wingate, has been directing shows put on by Durham Amateur Operatic Society since 1967.

And he was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in recognition of his work over the years. It was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, Sue Snowdon, in a ceremony at Durham City’s Town Hall that was attended by Durham Mayor Linda Charlton.

His production in 1968 was The Desert Song at The Assembly Rooms Theatre in 1968 and he has been behind a total of 64 productions by the society, ranging from musicals, pantomimes to concerts – almost half the number of shows the society has staged since it was founded in 1908.

He became interested in the theatre as a teenager, working back stage, and later studied theatre direction before embarking on a career in teaching.

He also has devised and written a series of tribute concerts for DMTC, together with musical directors George Hetherington and Steven Hood. A company spokesman said: “We cannot thank him enough for all he has given us and we are delighted that all his efforts have been rewarded this summer in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2013. “