THE University of Bolton has announced its first honorary fellows.

Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon is among the first to be honoured by the university, alongside its former deputy chairman of governors, John Stoddart; the principal of Bury College, Dr Helen Gilchrist; and Richard Hurst, chairman of the Richard Threlfall Group.

The awards are the first to be made since the former Bolton Institute was granted university status earlier this year.

Dr Iddon will receive his award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Bolton and to higher education.

The other three fellows will be honoured for their contribution to academic and public life, along with Dr Iddon, on July 14, the first of two days of graduation ceremonies when 2,000 students will receive their degrees.

Dr Iddon was a chemistry lecturer at Salford University from 1977 to 1998, and was a Bolton councillor, chairing the housing committee for 10 years, before he was elected a Labour MP in 1997.

"I feel very honoured and it's nice to be one of the very first fellows under the University of Bolton banner," said Dr Iddon.

"It will give me a chance to say thank you to a lot of people and, most importantly, egg on all those new graduates."

Mr Stoddart retired from his role as deputy governors' chairman in January after more than three years' service to the university and former institute.

Mr Stoddart was Vice-Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University until his retirement in 1998 and is currently chairman of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust, a director of Sheffield Theatres Trust and of the Sheffield Assay Office.

Dr Gilchrist was appointed Principal of Bury College in 1995, having been Principal of Nelson and Colne College for six years.

Chairman of the Richard Threlfall Group Ltd, he was appointed to the council of the Bolton Chamber of Commerce in 1989 and became the first president of the newly-combined Bolton and Bury Chamber in 1992.

He was the Chamber nominee on the Corporation of Bolton College until 2000.

University Vice-Chancellor Mollie Temple said: "We are delighted to welcome all four recipients. They are all sure to be great ambassadors for the university as well as for the town."