Playwright Alan Ayckbourn is one the most distinguished in the UK

Two of the UK's leading figures of the arts world were due to receive honorary degrees at Manchester University on Wednesday.

Felicity Goodey, chairman of the trustees of The Lowry, and playwright Alan Ayckbourn will receive the degrees at a special ceremony.

The university's chancellor Anna Ford is due to preside over the ceremony and confer the degrees at 1100 BST.

Four other leading citizens are also scheduled to receive honorary degrees at the ceremony.

Ayckbourn has penned 62 plays, making him one of the world's "most performed" living playwrights.

Felicity Goodey is chairman of the trustees of The Lowry

Most of his works have premiered at the Stephen Joseph theatre in Scarborough, where he is artistic director, and he has won many awards including seven London Evening Standard Awards and two Tony nominations.

A Manchester University spokeswoman said: "The conferring of honorary degrees gives the University the opportunity to acknowledge those who have reached the pinnacle in their chosen profession.

"Each of the recipients has worked incredibly hard to reach their goals, and have all ensured that their positions have benefited their communities at large."

Ms Goodey, a former BBC journalist, led Salford City Council's successful 1994 Millennium bid, which secured �64m of lottery money to build The Lowry.

Bangladesh liberation

She has also held membership of the North West Development Agency, been chair of the Cultural Consortium of the North West and director of Manchester 2002.

The other recipients are:

Alan Wood, chief executive of Siemens.

Fazle Hasan Abed, who established the Bangladeshi Rural Advancement Committee to bring relief and aid after the Bangladesh Liberation War.

Kai Hung Lee, one of the most prominent members of the Chinese community in the North West who established the NorthWest Chinese Council.

Mark Elder, music director of Manchester's Halle Orchestra.