Cricket umpire Dickie Bird joins forty-five other Yorkshire figures to be honoured in the Queen's New Year Honours List, announced yesterday.

Receiving decorations as varied as the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and Member of the British Empire (MBE), those awarded have been chosen in recognition of some of the best things being done in Yorkshire today in the worlds of business, policing, sport, healthcare, youth work and public administration.

David Watson, former Leeds heart surgeon and founder of the charity Heart Research UK, is to be presented with an MBE for services to cardiothoracic surgery and medical research, which resulted in the development of the first-ever unit for heart research at Killingbeck Hospital. It was there that Mr Watson and his team went on to invent the Killingbeck Valve, an artificial heart valve which is still in use after more than thirty years.

He said: 'I was delighted and surprised to receive this honour and see it as a tribute to all those who have worked so hard for Heart Research UK. The charity was started to make surgical treatment safer and more effective and I feel we have helped to achieve so much.'

The universities of Leeds and York were also both recognised with Prof Peter Jennings Buckley, professor of international business, and Dr Kathleen Hodgson, director of learning and teaching support receiving an OBE and an MBE respectively for their work at Leeds, while Professor Mohamed El-Gomati, Professor of Electronics at the University of York, was honoured for his services to science.

Police deputy chief superintendent for West Yorkshire, Andy Brennan was one of several police figures, drawn from all ranks, who were honoured the Queen's awards. Saying he was thrilled and delighted' to also receive the Queen's Police Medal, Mr Brennan added: 'It's been a very nice surprise. I've known about it for a couple of weeks but you have to keep it secret, so it's been torturous because I've been wanting to tell all my colleagues and friends.'

Another recipient of the QPM was Leeds police constable Geeta Lota, who was instrumental in setting up an annual domestic violence campaign and drop-in centre for South Asian women victims of domestic violence. Her initiative has enabled unreported incidents to be brought before the courts and she said: 'My work is very much about empowering and engaging with the community. I'm delighted to have been recognised with this award.'

Councillor Mark Burns-Williamson, Wakefield councillor and chairman of West Yorkshire Police Authority, received an OBE for services to the community, after serving as a ward councillor in Castleford for many years. He said: "I am proud to have served the people of Castleford over the years, just as I am proud to have served on and led the Police Authority. The work is extremely challenging but very rewarding and I enjoy it immensely.'

Meanwhile the designer behind the famous Jorvik centre in York admitted to crying when he received news of his award: Colin Pyrah, 67, whose business, Paragon Creative, has designed visitor attractions at some of the biggest tourist draws in the UK, at first failed to believe people who told him he had been awarded by the Queen, after a letter from 10 Downing Street got lost in the post. 'I said 'is this kosher?' and they promised me it was,' he said. 'I went into the kitchen and I started to blub. I was so overwhelmed that I was blubbing and smiling at the same time. My wife asked what the matter was and I told her I had just received an OBE.'

The Venerable William Noblett, Canon and Prebend of York Minster and Chaplain to the Queen has also learnt that he is to be made a CBE, learning of his honour on the day he retired from his role as chaplain general and archdeacon to HM Prisons. After working for the last fourteen years in Wakefield, Norwich and Full Sutton prisons to bring a strong, multi-faith chaplaincy to prisoners and staff, Mr Noblett called himself 'delighted. It's a great honour and I already have the honour of being chaplain to the Queen, but it's an additional honour on the day I end this role after ten-and-a-half years.'

Irma Heyliger, chair of the Leeds Black Achievers Wings Awards, receives an OBE for services to black and minority ethnic people in Leeds. As well as Dickie Bird, other sporting heroes recognised include Leeds Rhinos player Jamie Peacock - given an MBE for services to rugby league.