England cricket legend Ian Botham is given a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours today.

Oleg Gordievsky, the former Soviet spy who defected to Britain, is also honoured along with novelist Salman Rushdie, Dame Edna Everage creator Barry Humphries and fund-raiser and terminal cancer sufferer Jane Tomlinson.

It is "Arise Sir Beefy", as Botham gets a knighthood not only for his cricketing prowess but for his long-distance walks which have raised millions for charity.

He was already an OBE.

There is also a knighthood for the acclaimed writer Salman Rushdie. His fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, provoked riots and violent reactions from radical Muslims in 1988.

There were death threats and a fatwa issued by Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini, calling for his assassination. He spent years underground, appearing in public only rarely, but the fatwa was ultimately lifted and he was able to resume a normal literary life.

Even so, he continued to receive a "sort of Valentine's card" from Iran each year letting him know the country had not forgotten the vow to kill him.

Humphries becomes a CBE. As Dame Edna, he once welcomed the Queen at a concert in Buckingham Palace with the words: "The Jubilee girl is here, possums." It brought the house down.

And Gordievsky is made a CMG (Companion of the Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George) in the Diplomatic List. The former KGB colonel became the highest-ranking defector from the organisation when he fled to the West. The citation is "for services to the security of the United Kingdom".

Cancer victim Jane Tomlinson is made a CBE. She had previously been appointed an MBE. The honour is in recognition of her energetic campaigning and fund-raising for cancer charities.

Dairy farmer Michael Eavis, the creator and guiding light of the famous Glastonbury Festival, is made a CBE.

Peter Sallis, known for his role as the widower Norman Clegg (Cleggy) in the popular BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine, is an OBE. He first appeared in the show in 1973.

Sallis, now 87, is also the voice of Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit films.

Another OBE is actress Sylvia Syms, now 73, who has starred in many films, notably in the 1950s and 1960s.

Comedy actor Bill Pertwee becomes an MBE. He is a veteran of three Carry On films and of the Dad's Army TV series.

Joe Cocker, the gravelly-voiced rock singer from Sheffield, becomes an OBE.

Another OBE is Ryan Giggs, the Wales and Manchester United star who retired from international football earlier this month.

Former England striker Teddy Sheringham, who was still playing in the Premiership for West Ham United last season in his 40s, becomes an MBE. He holds the record for being the oldest man to score in the Premiership.

Terry Griffiths, the retired Welsh snooker player, renowned for his slow, cautious style of play, is an OBE.

Barbara Taylor Bradford, best-selling novelist, is another OBE. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, became an enduring best-seller and was followed by 20 others.

Stephen Poliakoff, the acclaimed British playwright, director and scriptwriter, is made a CBE.

Nicky Clarke, once described as being more famous than some of his customers, becomes an OBE.

But for the second list in succession, widespread speculation of a knighthood - or indeed of any honour - for David Beckham, proved groundless.

* For the full list of people from Sussex in the honours list, see The Argus today.