The leader of the Falmouth Marine Band has been recognised with an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list.

Paul Wickes, chief executive of the Cornwall Marine Network (CMN), has been given the award for his services to the marine industry and the community in Falmouth.

He said: "I'm completely blown away. Nobody sets off in life with the view of getting these things.

"All I'm doing is the job I love, serving an important and wonderful marine sector.

"I've surrounded myself with an excellent staff team. so one of the things I get to do is take credit on behalf of the team, I couldn't do it without them."

Paul's commitment to the marine sector in Falmouth and across Cornwall has seen him lead the CMN, a not-for-profit company with 351 member companies which helps marine organisations reach their full potential, and which he said has enabled the creation of more than 1,350 new jobs in the last ten years, with around £130,000 of added value to the local economy.

He said the CMN model has won national awards and is in demand across Europe, and added: "I'm very proud of what we've achieved here."

After serving as leader of Falmouth Marine Band for 13 years, Paul has said he plans to retire within the year, having helped give something a little bit different to the local community and played a part in raising "in the order of" £20,000, proving "you can achieve things in life without the need for planning or rehearsal."

He thanked everyone who has helped him, comparing his work to his time with the marine band and saying every member is important: "If I walked down the street carrying a stick, on my own, it wouldn't have the same effect. Marvellous teams come together to get results."

As well as his work with CMN and the Marine Band, Paul has worked on the Falmouth BID, Falmouth First community interest company which is involved in development at Prince of Wales Pier, the town forum, and the Falmouth Week shoreside committee, among other things, and he worked with his wife Pauline to organise the town's marching festival

He said: "Falmouth is a wonderful place to live, work and play and I do all of that."

He thanked his wife, Pauline, for all the unseen work she has done.

Paul has yet to officially receive his "gong", which will be presented at a ceremony in London later this year, in what he has said will be "a genuinely proud moment for me and the family."