An anti-racism campaigner and a children's charity worker were among a trio of Bristol heroes honoured by the Queen on Tuesday.

Stan Hammond and Peter Higgins received MBEs for their work in the city and South Gloucestershire, while Paul Stephenson was presented with an OBE.

Mr Stephenson, 68, made a stand on racism on the city's buses which paved the way for Britain's first anti-racism laws.

He was a young teacher and community officer when he led a mass boycott against the then Bristol Bus Company in 1963 over its policy not to employ any black drivers.

More than four decades later, he made history by becoming the first black person to have the freedom of Bristol bestowed on him in recognition of his "extraordinary contribution" to the city through his public service and race relations work.

Mr Stephenson, of Westbury Park, received the OBE for his services to equal opportunities and to community relations in Bristol.

He said: "I feel I can share the honour with many colleagues in Bristol, black and white, who have supported my campaign for racial justice.

"It doesn't mean I can sit back and say the job's done. It's not so much the beginning of the end, it's the end of the beginning."

A former Post employee was also among those receiving investiture at the ceremony held at Windsor Castle, Berkshire.

Stan Hammond, who lives on Coronation Road, Southville, received an MBE for all for his work in helping to set up the Pride of Bristol Trust, which provides character-building training sessions for youngsters on a former Royal Navy ship, which the trust is named after.

Mr Hammond worked as advertising display manager at Bristol United Press until he left 15 years ago. He received the award for services to young people, organising trips on the ship for underprivileged children and those with special needs.

The trust was started in 1995, with the first trips made the following year. Since then, about 400 children a year have benefited from the team-building sessions.

Mr Hammond said: "There was a group of us who were members of the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service when it disbanded and we thought we had had a good time learning about the sea and living with one another and thought perhaps we could offer the same to local children."

The first phase of the project involved raising enough money to buy the ship, and for the past 13 years youngsters have been learning to work together while finding their sea legs.

Mr Hammond said he found meeting the Queen a nail-biting experience and that there were many others who were worthy of an award.

He said: "I feel somewhat embarrassed that somebody thought to put my name down when there are other characters who do a wonderful job. The day went a lot better than I thought. She (the Queen) was very nice."

Peter Higgins, from Kingswood, was honoured for voluntary service to young people in South Gloucestershire.