TWO well-known citizens of Crewe and Nantwich are to be awarded the Freedom of the Borough later this year.

Councillor Alice Roberts and John Bedson will be granted the honour at a special ceremony later this year.

Mr Bedson was appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 1969 and Mrs Roberts received an MBE in the News Years Honours in 1987.

They both came to the new authority in 1973 and served as mayor with Mr Bedson's year in office running from 1974 to 1975 and Mrs Roberts in 1988.

Mrs Roberts was chair of the housing committee between 1976 and 1979 and Mr Bedson was chairman of the Labour group in the mid 1980s.

Over the years they have represented the council on a wide range of voluntary groups and outside organisations.

Councillor Howard Curran, chair of the Civic Affairs committee said: "All these details and information only scratch the surface of what have been long and distinguished services to the borough of Crewe and Nantwich both as councillors and leading citizens.

"I am delighted to announce that both Alice and John will be honoured at a special ceremony later in the year and would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank both of them for their tireless work within the local community."

The Freedom of the Borough is the highest official honour that can be bestowed on anyone in the local community.

It is purely honorary and has no special privileges but it gives them civic precedence after the Deputy Mayor.

Since the council came into being in 1974 there have been only nine admissions with the most recent to HMS Ambuscade in 1993.

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