Judo master 'thrilled' to receive Edinburgh Award

A 73-YEAR-OLD judo master who once taught Mick Jagger has followed in the footsteps of Ian Rankin, Sir Chris Hoy and JK Rowling by being named the latest recipient of a major civic honour in the capital.

George Kerr, dubbed "Scotland's Mr Judo" due to his 64 years of experience in the martial art, has been named the new winner of the Edinburgh Award - just weeks after being awarded a CBE.

He also became one of the few judo experts to receive the Japanese sport's highest honour, the tenth Dan, in its history last year. He is one of only 19 to receive such recognition.

Also recently awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, one of Japan's highest honours, Mr Kerr will be presented with an engraved cup at a gala ceremony in Edinburgh's City Chambers next month, while his handprint will join those of Rankin, Rowling and Sir Chris, a former pupil of Mr Kerr's pupils outside the civic headquarters.

Mr Kerr said: "The Lord Provost phoned me himself to tell me I'd won the Edinburgh Award and I was just thrilled. I think it's amazing; it's the nicest thing in the world to be honoured by your own town. You can't get any better than that really."