The Aardman team is said to be very proud of the honour

Nick Park, Peter Lord and Dave Sproxton, of Aardman Animations, are due to receive the honour at a ceremony next week.

The Aardman team, who celebrates its 30 year anniversary on Friday, has won four Academy Awards including Best Animation for Wallace and Gromit.

The Lord Mayor of Bristol proposed the award earlier this year.

During the ceremony at Bristol City Council on Monday, Aardman staff will be able to feast on Wallace's signature snack - Wensleydale cheese.

As Wallace himself might say, we'd be crackers not to celebrate their success Councillor Peter Abraham

Spokesman Arthur Sheriff said the team was very proud with the accolade. "All three of them are absolutely delighted and now cannot wait for the actual ceremony.

"On Friday we will be holding a party in Bristol Zoo Gardens to celebrate our 30th anniversary, so all in all it's going to be quite a weekend," he said.

The team won Oscars for the animated films Creature Comforts in 1991, The Wrong Trousers in 1994 and A Close Shave in 1996.

Councillor Peter Abraham said of the award: "Aardman Animations, and Wallace and Gromit in particular, are amongst Bristol's greatest success stories of recent times.

"The dynamic duo are a fabulous example of the kind of innovative work coming out of the city's internationally recognised creative and digital industries sectors.

"As Wallace himself might say, we'd be crackers not to celebrate their success."