AN Army captain who became the first ever female quartermaster has been awarded an honour.

Melonie Adair from Bishop Auckland received an MBE at Buckingham Palace for her dedication and selfless commitment to the service.

She said: "The day has been absolutely fantastic.

“I am so privileged and humbled to have met the worldly people I have today. It has been amazing to speak to people including Prince Charles our future king.

"Although there have been highs and lows in my time in the service, I wouldn’t change my experience for the world."

During her time in the army, Capt Adair has been deployed to every major operational theatre and took part in multiple exercises worldwide.

She started in the service at 26 and has over 22 years experience.

Capt Adair’s hard work saw her reach the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1 in just 14 years.

She was commended by her colleagues for giving her all and seizing every opportunity to expand the boundaries of what is possible.