Honorary degree for University of York graduate and Dragons' Den star

Sara Davies started her Crafter's Companion company while in her final year at York Management School

Entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star Sara Davies is to receive an honorary degree from the University of York later.

Ms Davies, whose firm, Crafter's Companion, now turns over £34m a year, is to receive the award in recognition of her "outstanding contribution to society", the university said.

She graduated from York in 2006 with a first-class business degree and founded her company while still a student.

News of the honorary degree had left her in "complete disbelief", she said.

The University of York said Ms Davies was being honoured for "leadership and entrepreneurship and for inspiring and showing opportunities to young female entrepreneurs".

Ms Davies will receive an honorary degree during a graduation ceremony at the University's Central Hall

Ms Davies became the youngest ever female dragon to join BBC One's Dragons' Den and was awarded an MBE for services to the economy in 2016.

Her craft supplies company now employs more than 200 staff in the UK, US and across Europe.

Speaking ahead of the degree ceremony on Tuesday, Ms Davies told BBC Radio York she had chosen to study in York because she wanted somewhere she could "really love living".

"At the open day I thought, 'yes this is the one for me' - and they had a course that seemed perfect for me," she said.

"Having the vision that I want to be at that university, doing that kind of course, kind of taught me the correlation between how hard you work and what you can get back out of it."

Receiving the letter from the university's chancellor inviting her to the degree ceremony "felt almost like it was coming full circle", she added.

Other well-known figures receiving honorary degrees at the University of York this week include scriptwriters Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran and public health specialist Professor Jonathan Van-Tam.