New Year Honours: First England women's football captain gets MBE

Sheila Parker first captained her country in 1972

The first woman to captain the England women's football team has been recognised in the New Year Honours.

Sheila Parker, 74, from Chorley in Lancashire, has been appointed MBE for services to women's football and charity.

"I'm over the moon. I'm as excited as they day I was made England captain, it is unbelievable," she said.

Mrs Parker, who has played the game since she was 13, was a member of the famous women's team Dick, Kerr Ladies.

She captained the first England women's team in 1972.

Sheila Parker (centre) is well respected in the women's game

Football historian Gail Newsham said the honour was "richly deserved".

Ms Newsham said: "She was an excellent centre-back and very well respected in the game. A real Bobby Moore figure."

Former headteacher Wendy Casson, from Thornton Cleveleys near Blackpool, has also been appointed MBE for her work with children permanently excluded from school.

Mrs Casson, 55, recently retired as head of Educational Diversity in Blackpool, the largest pupil referral unit in England

"I really can't believe it," said the teacher, who has devoted most of her career to help those "left behind" by the education system.

Wendy Casson says every school child should get a chance to shine

She added: "I have always believed that every child in your care is given their moment to shine and to have a love for themselves.

"Schools can be very dark places for those children whom just getting up each morning and continuing to carry on can often be overwhelming.

"One of my favourite sayings is some children love coming to school and some come to school to be loved."

Other recipients of the MBE include wheelchair rugby player Stuart Robinson, from Carnforth, and Daniel Paul Thomson, for services to Lytham Coastguard Rescue Team, Lancashire.

There was an OBE for Professor Iqbal Singh, from Blackburn, who is chair man of the Centre of Excellence in Safety for Older People, for services to equality and inclusion in healthcare.

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]