OBE for Stephen Lawrence's father

Neville Lawrence was awarded the OBE in the New Year honours

The father of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence has received an OBE from the Queen in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Neville Lawrence, co-founder of a charitable trust in his son's name and honoured for services to community relations, said he felt "a little bit of sadness".

Stephen, 18, was stabbed to death in Eltham, south-east London, in April 1993.

No one has been convicted of his murder.

Mr Lawrence, who now lives in Jamaica, said he was accepting the OBE on behalf of his son and other black boys killed in race-hate attacks.

"It is such a pity that I had to get something like this for such a tragic thing in my life," he said.

"I don't think I did anything really to deserve this. I just wanted to get answers about what happened to Stephen and hopefully other people will benefit from what we did."

Inquiry report

Asked if he lived in hope of his son's killers being brought to justice, he said: "I am a very religious man and I've now put everything in the hands of the Almighty."

The Stephen Lawrence inquiry report, set up to look into the police investigation of the murder, praised his parents.

It said: "Their persistence and courage in the face of tragedy and bitter disillusionment have been outstanding....Their dignity and courtesy have been an example to all throughout."

Dr Doreen Lawrence received an OBE last month.

The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust aims to help black youngsters fulfil their professional ambitions.