TV star helps aged and mentally ill

The veteran actress Stephanie Cole has been appointed OBE in recognition of her charity work in an honours list which went out of its way to reward those who give up their time to help others.

More than 500 of the honours, about 60 per cent, were given to people involved in voluntary service or charities - the highest number ever to be awarded. Cole, best known for playing Diana in the television sitcom Waiting for God, was honoured not only for her services to drama, but also for her work for elderly people and mental health charities.

There was also an MBE for Lloyd Scott, the charity fundraiser who ran the London Marathon in a deep sea diver's suit. The leukaemia survivor has raised £4m for cancer charities by completing gruelling and bizarre endurance challenges. These include an underwater marathon in Loch Ness, and cycling 2,700 miles across Australia on a penny farthing. He said: "MBE should probably stand for Mad Bloody Eccentric."