Frank Cottrell-Boyce's Pride of St Helens Lifetime Achievement Award

IT was hard not to feel proud to be from St Helens after Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s uplifting speech.

The novelist, who grew up in Rainhill, received a standing ovation as he went up to collect the Lifetime Achievement Award and then fell silent as they listened to his powerful words.

Frank, a former pupil at St Bartholemew's Primary School in Rainhill and at West Park, received the award due to his achievements as a children's author and screenwriter.

His triumphs include writing the script for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics, where he used the town’s motto Ex Terra Lucem as inspiration, and a more recent script for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s on-screen cameo with Paddington Bear that formed part of the Jubilee celebrations.

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During his acceptance speech, Frank said: "When people have worked in this town, it’s been really hard on their bodies.

"They dug the coal, they’ve blown the glass, and rugby is really hard, and this award is named after a man who took his body to the hardest of places [Steve Prescott].

"When his body failed him, he kept going and made something beautiful out of it, and out of that darkness brought lights, like this town motto says, [ex Terra Lucem]

"And that’s an incredible act to witness, an incredible legacy, and a wonderful thing to be celebrating here tonight."

Frank Cottrell Boyce speaks to Fraser Dainton (Image: Dave Gillespie)

The famed author also joked about his former school pal, Johnny Vegas, who both shared a crush on the same teacher.

He added: "Like Johnny, we’ve had amazing experiences to do amazing things and work with astounding people, and I’m really glad to have the opportunity tonight to say thank you to St Helens for holding my hand on that journey; all the way."

Frank also expressed his gratitude towards St Helens libraries and gave a heartfelt mention to Gary Conley for the Dream.