THE New Year Honours List featured many deserving Huntingdonshire residents who were recognised for their various contributions to society. Pat Molloy, 57, from Catworth received an MBE for her services to disabled children. She has provided respite care

THE New Year Honours List featured many deserving Huntingdonshire residents who were recognised for their various contributions to society.

Pat Molloy, 57, from Catworth received an MBE for her services to disabled children. She has provided respite care for 22 children in 19 years in her home with the support of her husband Michael.

Also honoured was Geoff Watts, 53, a magistrate and assistant principal at St Neots Community College. He was awarded an MBE for his services to education. In the 32 years he had worked for the college, he had taken only two days off sick

Cheryl Rolph, 44, received an OBE after working for the county's fire and rescue service for 25 years, and was the first woman to hold various positions in the service. She had worked hard to help open up opportunities for women.

RESIDENTS of 50 mobile homes off Howitts Lane, Eynesbury, were warned that they were living on a site contaminated with chemicals.

Huntingdonshire District Council advised locals not to dig deep holes in the earth because it contained 10 times the national background level of benzo(alpha)pyrene.

The site sits on abandoned clay pits that were filled with pulverised fuel ash from commercial furnaces during or after the Second World War.

Many residents were unfazed by warnings. Ralph Davies, 81, who had lived there for 20 years said: "It's all a bit of a flap about nothing."

THE Offords A14 Action Group failed at the High Court to stop the Highways Agency continuing its plans to widen and re-route the A14 between Ellington and Fen Ditton.

Offord residents, led by solicitor Nita Tinn and pub landlord Gary Mardlin, accused the Highways Agency of not providing enough opportunities for public consultation before deciding on the plan to alter the road. The campaigners were left facing large legal bills.

SENIOR managers at Papworth Hospital decided it was time to move the facility to Cambridge to be closer to Addenbrookes' Hospital. Stephen Bridge, chief executive, had previously campaigned to keep the site at Papworth, but now thought differently.

Reasons for the move included the necessity to be near a teaching hospital. Furthermore, Mr Bridge said that although Papworth could provide excellent care for heart and lung problems, most patients suffered from other conditions that could not be catered for there.

SISTERS Michaela and Melissa Sunderland from Sawtry received a thank you card from the Queen after sending her a Christmas card. Their mum only knew the girls had included the Queen on their Christmas list when Michaela asked her for the address of Buckingham Palace.