A BUSINESSMAN and former councillor who donated £1m to Durham University has been awarded an honorary degree from the institution.

Bob Young, a former miner turned haulage magnate and Durham County Council cabinet member, was made an honorary master of arts in a ceremony at Durham Cathedral today (July 2).

In 2009, Mr Young set up the £1m Robert Young Scholarship Fund to help County Durham students study at Durham University.

Thousands of students are graduating from Durham this week, with Palace Green a sea of gowns and mortarboards.

Also today (July 2), Tony and Barbara Laithwaite, founders and owners of Laithwaite’s Wine, were made given honorary doctorates of civil law.

The couple met as Durham University students in the 1960s and support the University’s Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience.

Yesterday (July 1), Professor Olaloye Oyawoye, the first African professor of geology, was made an honorary doctor of science.

Tomorrow (July 3), James Lancelot, Durham Cathedral’s organist and master of the choristers, will receive an honorary doctorate of music and on Friday (July 4) Prof Jane Buikstra, a leading anthropologist and bio-archaeologist, will be made an honorary doctor of science.