WHEN primary school headteacher Jim McManners found out he had been awarded an OBE for services to education, he knew his mother would be proud.

The son of two County Durham headteachers, Mr McManners has been honoured for services to education.

His school, Cassop Primary near Durham, has been turned into a environmental oasis.

It was the first school in the country to get a wind turbine in its grounds and since then it has solar panels, and a scheme to heat the school using recycled wood waste.

The school is sponsored by Premier Waste, who provide a bus to bring schoolchildren from across the region to Cassop Primary to help their education.

Mr McManners grew up in Ferryhill and helped out in his mother's classrooms throughout his childhood.

Yesterday when the New Year Honours were announced, he said: "I am pleased for the school and pleased because my mother is still alive and I know she will be pleased.

"A few people at the school know, but the news will get around soon in a small community like Cassop."

Mr McManners has been headteacher of Cassop Primary for almost 30 years and before that worked as a teacher at Dean Bank School in Ferryhill.

He lives with his wife Margaret in Trimdon; they have three children Joe, Jimmy and Ben.

He said: "My big enthusiasm is for first hand learning, that is getting the kids out walking and camping and doing practical things."

In February this year he travelled to Cassop's twin school in Kenya to donate solar panels. The African school had no water or electrical supplies.