Soccer: Geordies salute 'Freeman' Shearer

Former England skipper Alan Shearer today followed in the footsteps of such luminaries as Nelson Mandela and Bob Geldof when he was granted the freedom of Newcastle.

The 30-year-old striker was honoured along with agriculture minister Nick Brown, Lord Glenamara and the Tyneside-based computer software company Sage at a ceremony at Newcastle Civic Centre.