Birthday Honours: MBEs for Jess Fishlock and Menna Fitzpatrick

Jess Fishlock is hoping to help Wales qualify for the World Cup while Menna Fitzpatrick starred at the Winter Paralympics

Gold medal-winning Winter Paralympian Menna Fitzpatrick and footballer Jess Fishlock are among the Welsh names on the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Skier Fitzpatrick, 20, became Britain's most successful Winter Paralympian this year and Fishlock became the first footballer to win 100 caps for Wales.

They are both MBEs, alongside former Wales rugby player Dai Morris.

Cardiff-born novelist Ken Follett, who has sold 160 million books worldwide, has been appointed a CBE.

Other winners include a video games entrepreneur and a cinema owner.

Fitzpatrick, whose mother is from Deganwy, Conwy, competes in downhill skiing in the B2 category for visually-impaired athletes.

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• Britain's most decorated Winter Paralympian honoured

She won one gold, two silvers and a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Paralympics with her partner Jen Kehoe to become Britain's most decorated Winter Paralympics athlete.

"I found out about three weeks ago - it's been annoying because I'm not very good at keeping secrets," she said.

"2018 has been non-stop with exciting things, this is definitely one of the top things that's happened to me.

"To have disability sport being honoured at the highest level is just amazing."

Fishlock, 31, originally from Cardiff, became an MBE for services to football and the LGBT community.

She said: "I didn't believe it at all, I had to email them and double check someone wasn't playing a prank on me.

"It's a great honour to be recognised for something like that. The best thing for me is it's something for my family to enjoy."

Other recipients include former Europol boss Rob Wainwright, from Carmarthenshire, who has been made a Knight Commander (KCMG) for services to policing and security. He stepped down in April.

Video game entrepreneur David Banner, from Bridgend, who set up game design company Wales Interactive and has helped to start a course in game design at the University of South Wales, has also been honoured.

He said: "When the letter fell through the door it said 'from Her Majesty's secret service' - I thought they were going to ask me to be the new James Bond."

Mr Banner also described the OBE as "humbling" and "a real pinch yourself moment".

David Banner was appointed an OBE for services to the video gaming industry

Capt Louis Rudd, who is based in Brecon, became an MBE for his polar expeditions with the army. He plans to become the first person to traverse the Antarctic unaided at the end of the year.

Also appointed an MBE was cinema owner Steve Reynolds, from Croespenmaen, who is credited with keeping more than 50 independent cinemas across the UK.

Author Follett, who specialises in thriller and historical best sellers and is best known for writing Edge of Eternity, Fall of Giants, Winter of the World and World Without End, has been honoured for services to literature and charity.

"I am very pleased and proud to receive this honour for doing something I love - making books and stories as entertaining and accessible as possible," said the 69-year-old.

Ken Follett has sold 160 million books worldwide