Lenny Henry's freedom of home town

9 October 2013 Last updated at 15:50 ET

Comedian and actor Lenny Henry has been officially given the freedom of his home town of Dudley.

He was given the honour for his "outstanding contribution to charity" and services to entertainment, the council said.

Henry said that his home town "has fuelled everything I've done for 36 or 37 years".

"I've always been proud of being from Dudley - this just cements it," he said.

He was presented with a scroll at a ceremony at the town hall, and his name has been added to to the plaque listing the freemen of the borough.

Peter Collins, who lives in the town said: "There aren't many famous people from around here, so it's fair enough I say - good on him."

Another local told the BBC Mr Henry's charity work has made him "quite a popular man around here".

Henry said it was "fantastic" for someone who was "brought up working class in Dudley" to be given the honour.

"This just wasn't on the cards for me because I worked in a factory as a welder and then I had this incredible blessing, so this feels like the cherry on the sundae," he added.

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Lenny Henry's freedom of home town