Flintoff made a freeman

Andrew Flintoff's heroics against Australia this summer have earned him an accolade that has been awarded to no-one else this century - the Freedom of the City of Preston.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of making Flintoff an honorary Freeman and Bikhu Patel, the mayor of Flintoff's hometown in Lancashire, told the BBC that he had been an excellent ambassador and role-model. "Andrew Flintoff may be an international cricket superstar these days, but he is Preston born and bred, and has always remained proud of his roots."

"He is a great role model and epitomises everything we want to portray Preston as - young, vibrant, enthusiastic and going places. He's been amazing in the Ashes and it seems only fitting that his efforts should be recognised in this way, by joining the likes of Sir Tom Finney in becoming a freeman of the city."

Flintoff, who was born in Preston in December 1977, attended Greenland County Primary School and Ribbleton High School, which is now called City of Preston High. Only 22 people were given the honour in the last century, including Sir Tom Finney, the Preston North End footballer, in 1979 and Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit, in 1997.

The honour has no real privileges although freemen take precedence on ceremonial occasions, such as Remembrance Sunday, when they are allowed to walk ahead of councillors in processions. In the 1800s freemen were given ancient privileges and were allowed to herd their sheep on Moor Park.