GOBSMACKED council leader Bill Taylor today spoke of his delight at being knighted in the Queen's birthday honours but insisted: "Don't call me Sir!"

And he revealed he came close to turning down the honour because he feared it would make him less approachable to people living in Blackburn and Darwen.

The 53-year-old father of two becomes the first council leader from Blackburn and Darwen to be given the honour since Eddie George was knighted in 1966.

He has been awarded his knighthood for services to local government.

Coun Taylor, a councillor on Blackburn with Darwen Council since 1980, is among 509 people to be honoured in this year's list.

He will now travel down to London with his wife Anne, 52, son Matt, 21, and daughter Katherine, 17, to be knighted at Buckingham Palace in the near future.

Coun Taylor, who lives in the Corporation Park area of Blackburn and is also a youth and community worker for Lancashire County Council in the Ribble Valley, said: "For me, it really is business as usual.

"It is a great honour and I am very humbled by it. It certainly isn't something I ever expected to be awarded.

"I have a council surgery today and the important thing is that people just continue treating me in the same way they always have done.

"I'm sure the 'Sir' title will be used again and again on council documents, but it really is a case of 'Just call me Bill' or whatever people call me now.

"When I first got the letter about a month ago, me and my wife talked for about two days about whether I would accept it. I was concerned it would create a barrier, and make people think I was not approachable.

"That is the last thing I want to happen and hopefully people will see that."

Coun Taylor has been Jack Straw's election agent since 1979, taking on the role just months after the now Foreign Secretary was elected for the first time.

Today, Mr Straw, who is spending the weekend in his constituency, was among the first to praise Coun Taylor. And he dismissed the suggestion that Coun Taylor's role as his election agent had an influence on the honours process.

Mr Straw said: "No. There is a very fair process and this has been awarded totally on merit."

"I am absolutely delighted at this honour. It's very well deserved. He has dedicated himself to this town's welfare for 25 years."

Phil Watson, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said today: "This honour is very well deserved and recognises Bill's two decades of local government and community service in the borough."

Conservative leader Colin Rigby, said: "Bill Taylor's elevation to the knighthood recognises the commitment to this borough over many years.

"He is a hard working councillor at ward level and from working with him over the last three years I am aware of the demands not only on his time but also on his family. Well done Bill."

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope, who signed Coun Taylor's first Labour Party membership card back in 1974, said: "I can only congratulate Bill on his achievement."