LEIGH champion for sport, charity and the community, Trevor Barton, kept a date with a royal sporting superstar last week.

The former police chief, who was awarded an MBE for voluntary service to sports in this year’s Queen’s Birthday list, received his honour from the former European eventing champion and 1976 Olympian Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace It was his second date with royalty this year.

Trevor, a force behind the multi-million pound Leigh Sports Village, guided and introduced HM The Queen to guests on her visit to open the stadium in May.

He said: “The Princess was delighful and very interested in the village. It was a fantastic experience, a day the family will always remember, but a lot of very nice Leigh people have also played a huge part in this award Trevor, 65, has been involved as a volunteer in the sporting life of Leigh and Wigan for 28 years. A man of many talents and boundless energy the Blackburn native joined the police at the age of 19, dedicating his life to the force and becoming a superintendent in specialist operations before retiring at 51.

He then started his own specialist security company, Professional Witnesses Limited, which is based in Hindsford and is the company chairman.

Over the years Astley Rotarian Trevor, who became something of a ‘Mr. Leigh’ championing the town and its people, also dedicated 25 years of his life to Leigh Miners Rangers Rugby League Club as chairman.