Mr Park said it was a 'real surprise' the team was nominated

Nick Park, Peter Lord and Dave Sproxton, of Aardman Animations, received the honour at a ceremony at the Council House on Monday evening.

The Aardman team, scooped its fourth Academy Award for the latest Wallace and Gromit film - The Curse of the Were Rabbit, earlier this year

Speaking from the ceremony, Mr Park said he was "delighted" with the award.

'Ultimate accolade'

"It was a real surprise that we were nominated for this in the first place.

"Each of us really enjoys what we do so much so to get this honour from the city is the ultimate accolade," he said.

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

The Bristol-based company was started 30 years ago by David Sproxton and Peter Lord. Nick Park, who created the modelling-clay duo, joined as an animator in 1986.