A veteran soap actress born in Suffolk has been made an OBE for her work for drama and charity.

June Brown, who is best known for her role as EastEnders' Dot Cotton, has been recognised in the New Year's Honours list.

Born in Needham Market, the 94-year-old was previously made an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2008.

The soap star attended St John's Church of England School and then Ipswich High School on a scholarship.

In 2017, she launched the Children’s Society’s annual Christingle campaign to help raise £1.2 million for the UK’s most vulnerable young people over the festive period.

In the same year, she was part of a Christmas charity single for LGBT charity The Albert Kennedy Trust.

She said: “Thank you for the award. It is a great honour and I would like to thank Her Majesty, and all those involved in my recommendation.”

Before entering acting, she served in the Women’s Royal Naval Service at the end of the Second World War, and then left to train at London’s Old Vic Theatre School in Lambeth.

The actress has won a number of awards throughout her 35-year stint on the soap, including best storyline category at the 2001 Inside Soap Awards and a lifetime achievement prize at the British Soap Awards in 2005.