STALWARTS of the Suffolk community have been recognised in the Queen's New Years Honours list for 2006.Chris Yule, former Chief Crown Prosecutor for the county, who retired earlier this year, has been given an OBE for services to the justice system.

STALWARTS of the Suffolk community have been recognised in the Queen's New Years Honours list for 2006.

Chris Yule, former Chief Crown Prosecutor for the county, who retired earlier this year, has been given an OBE for services to the justice system.

He started his career as a solicitor in Colchester before moving to Suffolk in 1974 when he was appointed Deputy Chief Prosecuting Solicitor and later became Branch Crown Prosecutor for the county in 1993 and Chief Crown Prosecutor in 1999.

He subsequently led the Crown Prosecution Service through a period of restructuring and growth and was chairman of the Suffolk Area Criminal Justice Strategy Committee and its successor, the Local Criminal Justice Board, from 2003.

Nationally he also directed the development and implementation of the Case Management System which was described in Parliament as “probably the only computer system in Government that is working properly”.

He said: “I'm obviously very pleased but I would like to pay tribute to the excellent team I've had working with me in Suffolk for a number of years.

“I count myself extremely fortunate to have worked in this county and to have also had the opportunity to work at a national level with an excellent team on the computer programme for the CPS.

“Fortunately I was around when the new criminal justice boards were developed and again to have a dedicated team of chief officers who were prepared to work together to improve the way we served the public.”

Meanwhile Dr Mike Lynch, founder and chief executive of software company Autonomy which is based in Cambridge, was awarded an OBE for services to enterprise.

Dr Lynch, who has a home in Suffolk, said: “I am delighted with this news. It is an added bonus to get recognition for something I love doing, it's been great working in the British technology sector surrounded by such talented people.”

The self-made millionaire founded Autonomy in 1996 and holds a number of high profile advisory board and non-executive positions at leading companies as well as speaking regularly at major educational, political and industrial events, including the World Economic Forum, Davos.

Bury St Edmunds resident and former bishop John Austin, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year's Honours List for services to inter-faith relations.

Bishop John, 66, who is married with three grown up children, retired as Bishop of Aston, Birmingham in 2005 and has settled in Bury.

He has served as chairman of the Church of England's Inter Faith Consultative Group and was a member of the Committee for Minority Ethnic Concerns.

In 2003 he was lead bishop for links with Muslims in England and the Archbishop of Canterbury's Episcopal link with the China Christian Council.

He has also worked extensively with homeless young people and was a trustee of the Church Urban Fund.

Stowmarket resident Bryan Lunn, chief examiner at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) for 10 years, has been awarded an MBE for services to road safety and the IAM.

The 61-year-old, who retires today, said: “The honour is a delight, and totally unexpected. My family asked me to accept it and I am happy to do so.

“I am sure that the honour reflects well on the work of the IAM, where it has been a pleasure to work for the last ten years.”

Sue Pawson , a magistrate from Blundeston, near Lowestoft, is also set to receive a MBE.

Mrs Pawson, 57, of Dickens Court, said she was “staggered” to receive an award for services to the administration of Justice in Suffolk.

She is a teacher at Lynn Grove High School in Gorleston and has been a magistrate based in north east Suffolk since 1989, as well as serving as chair of the north east Suffolk Magistrates Bench.

“I am as amazed as anyone can be,” she said. “It is an honour but I thought I would be the last person to get it.”

Ken Seager, former deputy chief fire officer for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, who retired in April this year, has also been awarded a Queens Fire Service Medal.

He said: “I'm absolutely delighted. I knew my name was being short-listed but I genuinely didn't know anything about it until today.

“I've been with the Fire Service in Suffolk for 32 years and have had a range of posts which have mostly been in the Ipswich area where I was born and brought up.

“My family have been very supportive throughout my career and a real rock. It has been a great experience and I have had the pleasure of working with some first class and very able people who have made it all very easy.”