MORE than 50 people in the region have been toasting accolades in the New Year Honours.

Richard Griffiths, one of Britain's most celebrated character actors of stage and screen, was awarded an OBE for services to drama.

His most famous film role remains Uncle Monty in cult favourite Withnail & I.

And he is familiar to millions of children the world over as beastly Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter movies.

Griffiths, 60, was born in Thornaby, near Stockton, and grew up caring for his deaf-mute parents.

He left school at 15, but returned to education to study drama, then join the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Roy Barker, from Middlesbrough, the vice-chairman of the RNLI Zetland Lifeboat Museum, was made an MBE for services to maritime safety.

Professor Elaine Barbara Martin, from Newcastle, was awarded an OBE for services to science for her work with Newcastle University.

Dedicated foster carers Anthony and Wendy Whitbourn, from York, received MBEs for services to families. Also honoured were teachers Dr Michael Grainger, from Bishop Auckland, and Jean Orridge, from Stockton, who were awarded OBEs for services to education.

Dr Grainger has taught in primary and secondary schools, and became a deputy headteacher in 1979. His first headship was in Shildon, in County Durham, and then at Gurney Pease, in Darlington, where he spent the next 13 years.

He developed programmes for pupils moving from primary to secondary education and led curriculum developments in maths.

His vision for school-based teacher training led to the formation of High Force Education, which was accredited by the Government in 2002, to train 30 postgraduate students a year.

On receiving his award, Dr Grainger said: "To lead those teams that are teaching our children very effectively and providing the next generation of topquality teachers has given me deep satisfaction and great pleasure.

I am delighted to receive this honour."

Mrs Orridge, the headteacher of High Clarence Primary School, in Stockton, said the accolade was in recognition of all her staff's hard work.

She said: "I am absolutely thrilled. It is very much a team effort.

I have a fantastic staff. I might have the vision, but you cannot put it in place unless the staff are there."

After teaching at Hardwick Primary in Stockton, Mrs Orridge became deputy headteacher at High Clarence Primary in 1991, before she was promoted to headteacher in 1994.

Surrounded by chemical plants and under the shadow of the Transporter Bridge, High Clarence, with only about 18 streets, is one of the most deprived areas in Stockton.

But by working with the community, the school has gone on to win the basic skills quality mark, investors in people accolade and the national schools curriculum award to be ranked among the most improved schools in England.

Mrs Orridge said: "This honour is not for me, it is for the teachers, the school and the community.

"The people working here are passionate about what they do and it is all done for the love of the children."