Adlington receives royal honour

Nottinghamshire swimmer and Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has been honoured by The Queen.

The 20-year-old double gold medal winner, who is from Mansfield, received an OBE for services to swimming at Buckingham Palace.

Ms Adlington won gold in the 400 metres and 800 metres freestyle in Beijing last year.

The achievements made her Britain's first female swimmer to win Olympic gold since 1960.

Councillors also decided to honour the swimming star by naming the swimming baths, where she learned to swim, after her in April.

Sherwood Baths in Mansfield Woodhouse, which is undergoing a £5m revamp, is now known as the Rebecca Adlington Swimming Centre.

The facility will include an elite athlete training pool and the main pool will increase in size from four lanes to six lanes.

Mansfield mayor Tony Egginton has said Adlington is "a marvellous ambassador for the district".

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