A knighthood for Alex Ferguson in the Queen's Birthday Honours List caps a remarkable year for the Manchester United manager.

After his team picked up an unprecedented treble of FA Cup, Premiership and European Cup titles, Sir Alex has been honoured for his services to football.

His knighthood echoes the award given to Sir Matt Busby, the only previous United manager to win Europe's top football prize.

The 57-year-old Scot, who was awarded an OBE in 1984, said he was "delighted and honoured" at his knighthood, and put his success down to his family, friends and to his club.

He said: "I see this as an honour not just for me, but for the people who have supported me through my life and made me what I am."

Helen Rollason has not let cancer stop her

Sir Alex leads an honours list packed with figures from the world of sport.

There is a CBE for Scotland football manager Craig Brown, who guided his side to both Euro 96 and the World Cup finals in France 98.

The widow of England's World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore gets the MBE for her work in aid of a charity set up to fight the cancer which killed him.

And BBC sports presenter Helen Rollason, whose ongoing fight with cancer has not stopped her from continuing to work, was also granted the MBE.

Norman Foster: One of the world's leading architects

Ms Rollanson said: "I wept when I opened the letter.

"I felt incredibly emotional about it - I can't explain why."

She was honoured for services to broadcasting and charities.

Arsenal captain Tony Adams, whose triumph over alchoholism has enabled him to cement his place as an England great, said he was "humbled" by his award of the MBE.

Dolly the sheep: A scientific first

He said: "This is a very proud moment for me and my family.

"To be selected to receive this prestigious award is both an honour and a pleasure."

Wimbledon captain Robbie Earle was also awarded an MBE.

There was an award too for the British balloonist who conquered the round-the-world record earlier this year.

Brian Jones described his OBE as "absolutely fantastic".

He then announced that he and Swiss co-pilot Bertrand Piccard are to give the majority of their �620,000 prize for circumnavigating the globe to set up a children's charity.

Brian Jones and Bertrand Piccard celebrate

The wife of former prime minister John Major becomes Dame Norma Major.

Dame Norma said: "It is a huge and totally unexpected honour."

She has helped raise about �6m for the Mencap charity over the last few years, it was revealed on Friday.

Her fund-raising parties and operas at Chequers were deliberately not publicised while her husband was prime minister.

Banker honoured

Actor Simon Callow - who starred in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Shakespeare in Love - was "deeply thrilled" by his CBE.

Referring to the prestigous New York theatre award, he said: "Being honoured by one's country is even better than a Tony.

"But since it comes from Downing Street I suppose in a sense it is a 'Tony'."

Eddie George, governor of the Bank of England, has been made a Privy Counsellor in his 37th year with the Bank.

The award makes him The Right Honourable Eddie George.

In the world of science, the man behind Dolly the cloned sheep is awarded an OBE.

Professor Ian Wilmutt, of the Roslin Institute, near Edinburgh, said: "I am excited, honoured and flattered by this award.

"It recognises that cloning will make great contributions in medicine, biology and agriculture."

Newsreader Trevor McDonald has become Sir Trevor after being knighted in the honours list.

Leading architect

Actress and comedienne Julie Walters is awarded the OBE, as is composer John Barry - known for the famous James Bond theme.

Writer AS Byatt receives the DBE, while Flashman novelist George MacDonald Fraser gets the OBE.

Veteran broadcaster Joan Bakewell picks up the CBE, and Jenni Murray, presenter of Radio 4's Woman's Hour, is given the OBE.

British chess grandmaster Nigel Short has been awarded the MBE, while former world record holding athlete David Moorcroft becomes an OBE.

Norman Foster, the architect behind the redeveloped German Reichstag and the new Stansted airport terminal, becomes Lord Foster.