New Year Honours: Alarm singer Mike Peters awarded MBE

Mike Peters said it was "humbling" to be nominated for the award

Lead singer of rock group The Alarm Mike Peters is among those included in the New Year Honours.

The 59-year-old, who was born in Prestatyn and lives in Dyserth has had cancer three times.

The singer formed a charity to encourage music fans to sign up as bone marrow donors and has been awarded an MBE for his efforts.

Athletics coach John Messum and charity worker Shaun Stocker are also among those awarded from north east Wales.

Peters and his wife Jules, who has also been diagnosed with cancer, have been open about their illnesses and have campaigned to support other cancer sufferers.

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 1995 and founded the charity Love Hope Strength which encourages music fans to sign up as bone marrow donors.

And it seems his efforts have been recognised after he was nominated for an MBE.

• Jules Peters - My Cancer Journey

• Mike and Jules - While We Still Have Time

• Rock star recruits bone marrow donors

He said he found out after his father-in-law spotted an official looking letter.

"I was on tour and there was a letter that had been lying in my post box for a few days and my father in law found it and sent a picture of it to my phone," he said.

"It was very blurred so I didn't realise quite what it was until he read it out to me and I was like wow!

"I was shocked really.

"It's not something you think you are going to attain in your life span... certainly not with the endeavours I've been involved in which is basically through trying to keep myself alive and trying to keep other people alive at the same time."

Peters said he was thrilled with the nomination.

"It's quite humbling because I don't know who has put me forward for it," he said.

"To be nominated is a real honour and I am very grateful to accept.

"Our family has been struck twice with cancer - myself three times and Jules my wife and our message to other people out there (going through it) is never give in; never ever give up"

Peters joins, among others, athletics coach John Messum from Mold who becomes a BEM in recognition for his services to athletics after training juniors and seniors at Deeside Athletics Club and Shaun Stocker from Rhostyllen in Wrexham who becomes a BEM for services to charity.