SHE built a career in the lofty world of academic libraries.

And away from work, Biddy Fisher likes nothing more than to climb aboard her prized BMW 800 and roar across the country.

Biddy a former president of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, has now been honoured for her services to libraries with an OBE from the Queen.

“I am overawed and I feel truly honoured”, she said.

“I have spent my working life doing a job I love: trying to help with people’s professional development and to improve the image of libraries.”

Ms Fisher, of Denby Dale, is married to John Tarrant, the former vice-chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, and shared the love of motorcycling with him.

Mr Tarrant has now given up the sport but his wife, who had her first ride on a motorcycle with her dad at the age of nine months, still loves the exhilaration.

Indeed, she combined her career and her passion with a memorable 1,600-mile round trip on her motorcycle to a libraries conference in Milan – taking in the Swiss Alps on the way.

And she has a Twitter account of @bikerbid

Ms Fisher, who was brought up in Norfolk, worked in mobile libraries before getting a job at the University of East Anglia in the early 1970s.

She had a stint at the University of London before returning to East Anglia and it was there she met her husband to be.

“We actually met over the negotiating table,” she said with a smile.

“John was a pro vice-chancellor at the university and I was a shop steward for the staff side.

“We both had very strong principles.”

The couple married in 1991 and when Prof Tarrant moved to the University of Huddersfield, Ms Fisher took a job at Sheffield Hallam University, before retiring in 2008.

“I’ve always been a bit of a petrolhead and since retiring I have loved getting on the bike.

“John has given up biking, but we have an old Jaguar and we both love taking part in rallies and raising money for charity.

“Last year we managed to raise £3,000 for Macmillan”.

Annie Mauger, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals, said: “Biddy was an outstanding president for CILIP in 2010 and dedicated her year to meeting as many members as possible and promoting what they do.

“She has been a wonderful supporter of new professionals and has become greatly admired by many.

“However, far beyond that, she has been a fantastic leader and advocate for the profession for many years and can be particularly proud of her work in promoting, mentoring and professional development. We are so delighted for her and she truly deserves this recognition.”

lThe police officer who has led many major inquiries in Huddersfield and West Yorkshire – including the hunt for Shannon Matthews – has been honoured.

Det Supt Andy Brennan, of West Yorkshire’s homicide and major inquiry team, has received the Queen’s Police Medal.

IT was certainly a good night for him.

Veteran entertainer Ronnie Corbett received a CBE in the New Year Honours, announced at midnight.

The list is also controversial, as it includes property tycoon Gerald Ronson, who bounced back after being jailed for his part in the Guinness Four share scam.

Veteran funnyman Corbett, 81, was honoured for services to entertainment and charity.

The Scottish comedian, famed for his monologues on The Two Ronnies, tops a string of stars honoured for their contributions to the entertainment, media and sporting worlds.

These include TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, actress Helena Bonham Carter and Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford, who won acclaim for her reporting from Libya.

Two big names in television: Peter Bazalgette of Endemol, the company behind Big Brother, and Paul Smith, of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? creator Celador – also feature on the list, which sees Apple’s Jonathan Ive, credited with designing the iPhone, iPod and iPad, made a Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Mr Ronson, 72, the man who brought self-service petrol stations to the UK in 1960s and built Heron Tower, the tallest structure in the City of London, gets a CBE for his services to charity.

But he will always be known for his role in the Guinness share support affair more than 20 years ago, which became a celebrated court case and sparked a long battle by Mr Ronson to clear his name.

Retired international umpire Harold “Dickie” Bird, 78, of Barnsley, gets an OBE for services to cricket and charity.

Edinburgh-born Corbett, who turned 81 this month, won his way into British hearts after he linked up with Ronnie Barker for what became one of the most successful and long-running sketch shows ever made.

Latterly, the entertainer has worked with an array of comics including Ricky Gervais and Peter Kay, and starred on shows including Little Britain.

While Lorraine Kelly’s childhood ambition to become a fighter pilot was never fulfilled, as an adult she has lent considerable support to servicemen, earning her the honour of an OBE for services to charity and the armed forces.

But the Glasgow-born 52-year-old, from Broughty Ferry near Dundee, is better known for her daytime television career.

Bonham Carter, 45, who played the Queen Mother alongside Colin Firth in The King’s Speech, gets a CBE for services to drama.

The Oscar-nominated actress embarked on her glittering career when she was still at school and went on to star in films including A Room with a View and The Wings of the Dove, earning herself the sobriquets “corset queen” and “English rose”.

Birmingham-born actor David Harewood, 46, known for his roles in Blood Diamond, The Merchant Of Venice and television’s The Vice, gets an MBE for services to drama.

And an OBE goes to It’s a Knockout host Stuart Hall, 82, for services to broadcasting and charity. The veteran broadcaster still delights soccer fans with his eccentric and colourful match reports for Radio 5 live.

GOLFING major winners Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy are both recognised in the New Year Honours List today.

Clarke, 43, receives an OBE five months after he won the Open Championship at Sandwich, while fellow Northern Irishman McIlroy is awarded an MBE.

McIlroy, 22, won the US Open at Congressional by eight shots in June in a record low score of 16-under-par 268. His victory represented a remarkable recovery after a demoralising collapse in the previous major, the US Masters, when he carried a four-stroke lead into the final round but shot 80 to finish tied 15th.

Former Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis, 87, receives a knighthood for his charity work.

The entrepreneur, who had two spells at Villa totalling 35 years and infamously became known as ‘Deadly Doug’ for his reputation for sacking managers, has invested heavily in charitable projects in the west midlands.

Also knighted are two men for their involvement in the organisation of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Charles Allen is a board member on organising committee LOCOG and John Armitt, recognised for services to engineering and construction, is the chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Former Formula One world champion Nigel Mansell and England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke receive CBEs.

Mansell, who won the world title in 1992 and followed up by claiming the IndyCar championship the following year, is honoured in his role as president of UK Youth.

UK Youth is a charity which provides tools to help build young people’s self-esteem, aptitude and skills.

Mansell last year helped raise £1m for the cause by cycling 1,375 miles in 13 days around the country.

Clarke, the former chairman of Somerset, has been in charge at the ECB since 2007 and has overseen the structure which has aided England’s rise to the top of the world rankings.

Professor Sarah Springman, president of the British Triathlon Federation, receives a CBE for services to her booming sport.

England rugby league captain Jamie Peacock is made an MBE.

The 34-year-old Leeds Rhinos prop is the most successful player in Super League history having won seven titles in a career which also includes a long spell at Bradford.

In rugby union, Scotland’s record cap-holder Chris Paterson, who announced his international retirement earlier this month, is also made an MBE.

The 33-year-old amassed 809 points in 109 internationals.

Wales veteran Martyn Williams, the 36-year-old flanker who has won 103 caps but has recently been sidelined with a broken arm, is another to be awarded the MBE.

Top Olympic prospect Sarah Stevenson receives an MBE at the end of an emotional year in which she won the taekwondo World Championship, but lost both of her parents.

Acclaimed Formula One engineer Adrian Newey, chief technical officer at the Red Bull team of world champion Sebastian Vettel, is made an OBE.

Former horse racing trainer Peter Walwyn becomes an MBE.