Teenage paralympic gold medallist Eleanor Simmonds became the youngest person ever to receive an MBE today.

The 14-year-old from Aldridge beamed with joy as the Queen handed her the prestigious gong.

The swimming sensation was awarded the honour after her record-breaking double gold medal winning success at the Paralympics in Beijing last summer. She stayed in a hotel in London last night and was chauffeur driven to Buckingham Palace with her mother Val and father Steve.

Before picking up her award, Eleanor told the Express & Star today: “It is a great honour to receive and MBE and I am really looking forward to it. I am wearing heels and I am really worried about tripping over”