Lanarkshire broadcasting veteran Jackie Bird has said she is “thrilled” and “absolutely honoured” to be made an MBE.

The journalist, who was the face of BBC Scotland News for three decades, is being recognised for her services to broadcasting and charities.

The 62-year-old has been presenting BBC Scotland’s Children In Need show for years and has been the president of the National Trust for Scotland since 2019.

She said protecting Scotland’s heritage and wild places is a “subject close to my heart”.

She was a regular on TV screens across the country as a presenter on Reporting Scotland until she stepped down in 2019.

For years, she brought in the bells with Scots as she presented the Hogmanay programme.

Reacting to her own new year honour, Ms Bird told the PA news agency she did not think she was “the sort of person” to get such an award.

The broadcaster, who was born in Bellshill in North Lanarkshire and grew up in Hamilton, described being made an MBE as “an absolute honour” and said she was excited to bring her 80-year-old parents to Buckingham Palace.

“I’m thrilled,” she said, “absolutely surprised and thrilled. My first thought was, ‘I can take my mum and dad to Buckingham Palace’.”