McCartney set for French honour

Paul McCartney is to be given a Legion d'honneur award in France.

The British singer will receive the medal - France's highest public distinction - from President Francois Hollande in Paris this Saturday.

Stars including Clint Eastwood and Liza Minnelli have previously been gifted the award, created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, which is represented by a red lapel thread.

The recipient of the award must pay for their own medal from a licensed jeweller.

However the award can also be rescinded, as it was recently in the case of disgraced British fashion designer John Galliano after he was sacked from Dior over anti-Semitic comments he made while drunk.

McCartney recently performed at the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games, for which he was only paid a token gesture.

He said: "They don't pay you to perform, but what does happen is you get tickets to events, so they asked me what I would ideally like to go to, and so I sent a little list.

"I'm a big fan of athletics, when that's on the TV, I don't go out, so the Olympic Games are great for that for me."