The New Year's honours list has been revealed today, with several Harrow and Brent residents being recognised by the Queen.

Among those named on the list is Harlesden Olympic gold medal boxer James Degale, who is to receive an MBE, and top jazz musician Courtney Pine, who lives in Harrow and is to receive a CBE.

The Harleseden hero's life has changed immeasurably since he became Team GB's sole boxing gold medallist in Beijing and, he says, being named amongst the luminaries in the New Years Honours List has put the gloss on a remarkable year.

"It's crazy," said the middleweight. "To be recognised by your country at the age of 22 is just something else. I'm so proud and overwhelmed.

"Winning an Olympic gold medal was unbelievable and I would have to say this is on a par with that. To be up there with some of the other names on the MBE list is humbling. I never expected it Ñ it's a dream come true."

DeGale, who turned pro last month after being signed up to the stable of renowned boxing promoter Frank Warren, admits he had to ask his mum about what an MBE is, such has been his hectic lifestyle since returning from the Far East.

"I had to ask my mum even though I knew people like Prince Naseem (Hamed) had one" he added, "It's nice for the Queen and Prime Minister to send me a letter informing me of the honour. It makes me really proud to be British."

After enjoying Christmas with his family DeGale was back in the gym, aptly on Boxing Day, to work off some of the excesses of the past few months.

"Training is going fantastic even though I am still a little bit fat," he said. "It has been an unbelievable year but this is just the start for me. The next step is to be world champion, hopefully inside four years, and then I want to become a legend."

DeGale, along with fellow British Olympians Billy Joe Saunders and Frankie Gavin, is scheduled to make his professional debut at the end of February, with London's 02 Arena tipped to be the venue.

However, DeGale says there is the possibilty the fight could take place at Wembley Arena, just a stones throw from his home.

"That would be fantastic. Wembley Arena is five minutes down the road from where I live and I run past there every day."

The full list of Harrow and Brent honours:

ORDER OF THE BATH

CB

David John Pearson. Deputy Treasury solicitor, Treasury solicitor's

department. (Harrow, Middlesex)

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

CBE

Dr Owain Arwel Hughes, OBE. Conductor. For services to music and to

charity. (Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex)

Courtney Pine, OBE, jazz musician. For services to jazz musice. (Harrow, Middlesex)

OBE

Anis Rahman. For voluntary service to Bangladeshi people. (Harrow,

Middlesex)

Brent councillor Ann Marie John. Member, London Borough of Brent. For services

to local government. (Kingsbury)

MBE

Professor Jagdish Dave. For services to education and to Asian people.

(Harrow, Middlesex)

Ann Maidment. Teacher, Kenmore Park Middle School, Harrow, London.

For services to education. (Pinner, Middlesex)

James Frederick Degale. Middleweight boxer. For services to sport.

(Harlesden)

Ann Mary Brew. For charitable services. (Dollis Hill)

Peter Daniel Cormack. Formerly curator, William Morris Gallery. For

services to art and to heritage. (Kingsbury)

Thomas O'Callaghan. For services to lifelong learning in the transport

industry. (Harlesden)