A FORMER Lowe House pupil who failed his 11-plus, and was a motor mechanic for ten years, has been awarded an OBE for unstinting social work - in the eastern Caribbean!

Barbados-based John Harrison, aged 62, earned his 'gong' after spending 20 years commuting between the exotic islands as a technical co-operation officer for the Department of International Development.

The only child of the late Bill and Annie Harrison, of Hope Street, St Helens, John and his American-born wife Anne have a home in North Carolina and are the parents of Christopher and David.

After an apprenticeship at Hatton's garage in Prescot Road, John worked at other companies before studying at night school, and went on to Leicester University where he gained an honours degree in social science, plus a master of philosophy award in sociology.

He told the Star: "I was astonished when Gordon Baker, the High Commissioner for Barbados, telephoned me in Belize to tell me that a letter had arrived from Downing Street recommending me for the Order of the British Empire in the New Year's honours list.'

"It is an unexpected icing on the cake for me, because I have never regretted the change of direction my career took all those years ago, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of social work and the friends I met on the way," added a modest John Harrison.

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