Former Redruth and England rugby player Phil Vickery will be the guest speaker at this year's Cornwall Tourism Awards in less than a fortnight's time.

Phil, who proudly describes himself as a Cornishman and Englishman, will speak at the awards, to be held at the Headland Hotel in Newquay on Thursday, November 6.

Malcolm Bell, head of Visit Cornwall, the Cornwall Development Company tourism service, said: “We are thrilled to have secured Phil as the guest speaker for the awards. Phil has done a fantastic job at flying the flag for Cornwall to a national and international audience. I for one am very excited to meet him; although I may have to watch my tongue…I don’t want to end up in a scrum.”

Phil, an MBE who started his rugby career at Bude and then Redruth, was capped 73 times for his country and twice a British & Irish Lion. He captained England at the 2007 World Cup and was part of the historic team that lifted the Webb Ellis trophy in 2003.

Phil’s profile extends beyond rugby with high profile appointments such as ambassador to the Prince of Wales’ Countryside Trust and involvement with Wooden Spoon, the charity of British and Irish Rugby which supports mentally and physically disadvantaged children. In 2011 Phil won the hugely popular BBC TV cooking show Celebrity MasterChef.

The Cornwall Tourism Awards is being held on Thursday 6 November 2014 at The Headland Hotel, Newquay. For more information visit www.cornwalltourismawards.org.uk or join the conversation at #CTA14.