Cricket hero Ben Stokes and late police crime commissioner Ron Hogg receive New Year Honours

East Durham resident Stokes, 28, who helped England to World Cup victory in the summer before memorably saving the third Ashes Test against Australia, receives an OBE less than a fortnight after the Durham star was crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Mr Hogg, the former assistant chief constable of Durham and deputy chief constable of Cleveland, became Labour’s Durham Police Crime and Victims’ Commissioner (PCVC) in 2012 and is awarded a CBE for charitable and political services.

He died on December 17 at the age of 68 after battling Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and acting commissioner Steve White said today: “In all my time in policing, I have never known of someone so universally liked and respected as Ron was by officers, staff, politicians and officials. The award of a CBE is a fitting tribute to his legacy.”

Deputy Chief Constable Dave Orford, of Durham Police, added: “Ron was an outstanding officer and an inspirational leader for Durham Constabulary for more than 40 years so it is fitting that he has been named in Her Majesty’s New Year Honours list.

“Throughout his time as an officer and later PCVC, he always put others first and was not only an innovative thinker on crime and policing, but also tackled some of the most difficult issues facing society, including calls for the law to be changed on assisted dying, which he campaigned for until the very end.

“Ron was a great colleague and friend and we hope this honour will bring some comfort to Maureen and his family as testament to his lasting legacy.”

Sunderland-born England women’s football international Jill Scott receives an MBE for services to the women's game.

The 32-year-old defender said she initially feared the serious-sounding phone call she received was to do with a parking fine.

She added: "I didn't actually receive a letter because I had moved house - I think they were chasing me at the time.

"I had a phone call when I was in Marks & Spencer, I nearly dropped all my Christmas decorations.

"I thought I was in trouble at first, I thought I hadn't paid a car parking fine or something."

Scott also spoke of challenges throughout her career, adding: "There's been tough times. I remember going away on an England camp when I was 14, and I never got selected then for four years.

"It was really difficult because a couple of my teammates were being picked.

"Standing here now, I think I've got 146 caps for England, so I'm glad I made that decision not to quit.

"I was about six or seven when I first started and it was always me playing for boys teams.

"It (animosity) didn't really come from the boys, it was a lot from the parents - seeing their son get beat by a girl sometimes was more embarrassing for them, I suppose.

"Sometimes I was reduced to tears, but I would just pick my football boots up a couple of days later and always wanted to go back to training."

She also joked she would like a selfie with the Queen at the forthcoming investiture, before adding: "I don't think that would be allowed.

"I'm sure it'll just be a fantastic day. One of those where I'm wanting to take pictures left, right and centre but I'll have to be on my best behaviour."

Other North-East names to appear on the list, which was published late on December 27, include Technology Services Group and Sage software founder Graham Wylie, 60, for his services to business and charity.

Former Newcastle United defender Aaron Hughes, 40, is made an MBE for services to football while television presenter Gabby Logan, 46, a Durham University graduate who started her career on Tyneside, is made an MBE for services to sports broadcasting and promoting women in sport.

Nationally, three of Stokes’s England cricketing team-mates are also honoured.

One-day international captain Eoin Morgan gets a CBE while Joe Root and Jos Buttler are given MBEs.

British-born Australian singer Olivia Newton-John is made a dame for services to charity, cancer research and entertainment while film director Sam Mendes gets a knighthood for his contribution to drama.

From politics, Tory MP and former party leader Iain Duncan Smith, the architect of the controversial Universal Credit system, is knighted.

Grease star Newton-John, who moved to Australia with her family as a five-year-old, said: "I am extremely excited, honoured and grateful beyond words to be included with such an esteemed group of women who have received this distinguished award before me.

"As a girl born in Cambridge, I am very proud of my British ancestry and so appreciative to be recognised in this way by the United Kingdom."

Mendes, who has directed two Bond films as well as multiple international theatre productions, said he was "amazed, delighted and extremely proud".

Other North-East people to be honoured include: Gabrielle Lee (County Durham), governor HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Low Newton (OBE for services to prisoners and their families); Barbara Anne Vest (County Durham), special advisor for Energy UK (OBE for services to the energy industry): Janice Ross (County Durham), (OBE for services to small and medium-sized enterprises and to the community in North-East England); Rayburn Bainbridge (Tyne and Wear), volunteer at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 (BEM for services to sport), and John O’Neill (County Durham), regional director of the Witherslack Group (OBE for services to children with special educational needs and disabilities).