A former social worker given an OBE for helping to protect young people was so taken aback she had to read her commendation letter three times before taking it in.

Fay Deadman worked for HM Inspectorate of Prisons for 12 years before retiring in April and was previously a social worker in Barking and Dagenham.

She received the OBE as part of the New Year Honours List last week.

The Hornchurch woman said: “When the letter came, I thought it was my payslip, so I didn’t open it for a while. When I did, I had to read it three times.”