A CHILDREN’s illustrator who was born and brought up in Parkeston has been honoured with an MBE.

Jon Davis, aged 85, spent the first 20 years of his life in Parkeston before setting sail as a merchant seaman.

But because of tuberculosis he had to return to land and find a new career – and in 1960 he began work as an illustrator.

Best known for his work on comic strips Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, as well as Ladybird books and Rupert the Bear, Mr Davis was in the New Year’s honour’s list.

“It was a bit of a shock, really,” he said. “It’s very nice, though."