MBE for Whitehaven-born Scotland rugby doctor James Robson

Dr James Robson, who is originally from Whitehaven, received the honour for his services to rugby.

The 60-year-old works as the Scotland rugby team's doctor, with six World Cups to his name.

Originally a physiotherapist, Dr Robson is one of the longest-serving medics in the game and has also been on six British & Irish Lions tours.

"I was absolutely flabbergasted and over the moon," he said. "It was quite surprising."

The award capped a "cracking end to 2017" for the doctor, who grew up on Kells before moving to Hillcrest, as he also celebrated his 60th birthday and was inducted into Scottish rugby's hall of fame.

A former Whitehaven Grammar School pupil, he left Cumbria to become a physiotherapist at university in Edinburgh. After a few years in work, he returned to university, in Dundee, to study medicine.

He said: "I was very lucky, I was looking after a club side and there wasn't many male physiotherapists at the time so I got into the district side.

"I've been working with Scotland since 1991 when I went to Canada and the states. I've managed to go on a few Lions tours and to a few World Cups."

Now, Dr Robson, whose mother Pat still lives in Whitehaven, works as Scottish rugby's chief medical officer, head of medical services and national team doctor.

His father John Robson was a builder in Whitehaven. He passed away in March 2016, while his son was preparing for a Six Nations tie between Scotland and France.

The doctor commutes from Dundee to Murrayfield, the Scottish national team's stadium, in Edinburgh.

"It was quite funny," he said. "My wife is a doctor as well and she was on an off day when the MBE letter came.

"It's a fairly conspicuous letter. She phoned me on my way home as I commute to Murrayfield to ask what time I'd be home. She opened the door and I thought what have I done?

"She said there had been a really interesting letter and she'd had to wait six or seven hours for me to open it. I was stunned."