Isle of Wight honours Minghella

The Oscar-winning film director Anthony Minghella (left), is to become the first freeman of his native Isle of Wight. Local councillors plan to create the honour in return for his work on The English Patient, his latest film, which won nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.

At the awards ceremony in Los Angeles last month, he acknowledged his roots, saying: "It's a great day for the Isle of Wight." The leader of the Isle of Wight council, Morris Barton, said what Mr Minghella, whose parents run an ice-cream factory on the island, has done for it "is worth millions of pounds in advertising. He publicises the Isle of Wight wherever he goes - we can be proud to be islanders. He is a great inspiration to island youngsters and an example of what they can too achieve. I believe we should do something tangible to mark his success."