From teachers to medical professionals there was joy for some as the new years honours list was announced.

Accrington teacher Anjum Anwar, who has toured schools throughout Lancashire as part of a project to tackle the modern misconceptions about Islam was awarded an MBE.

Anjum, 48, who was born in Pakistan but moved to Accrington when she was nine, was appointed as a project worker for Understanding Islam - a scheme set up more than two years ago by they Lancashire Council of Mosques and Lancashire County Council.

Since then she has toured schools across Lancashire talking about Islam, organising mosque tours and training teachers about the religion.

Anjum said the depth of ignorance about Islam was quite a shock given one in nine people in East Lancashire is Muslim, according to the 2001 census.

The mother-of-one said, "Islam has been demonised and presented in a manner which is not conducive to good community cohesion.

"There is a lot of misinformation which makes life difficult for Muslims.

"The project has been very successful in providing correct information about the fastest growing religion."

Dr Shyamal Kumar Mukherjee. Board Member of the Birkenhead and Wallasey Primary Care Trust was awarded an MBE for services to Healthcare.

In Pendle Rahmat Ali Raja also got an MBE for services to the community in Pendle, Lancashire.

And Dr Hari Pada Adhikary was given an MBE for services to the Bengali community in the United Kingdom.