Royal honour for inventor of Pin

The Pin was patented by James Goodfellow in 1966

The inventor of the personal identification number (Pin) has been awarded an OBE.

James Goodfellow, 69, who lives in Paisley, Renfrewshire, devised the mechanism of keying in a number code to cash machines in the 1960s.

Forty years after he applied for his patent, he has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Mr Goodfellow said he had "only been doing his job" when he dreamt up the concept.

The system is now used by hundreds of millions of people across the world.

No payments

Mr Goodfellow said: "I just thought of it as a project that was completely successful, which it was.

"My job was as an engineer and as far as I am concerned I was just doing that. I never expected anything.

"But I suppose it's nice that the story is out there, and I am very pleased to have been given the OBE."

Mr Goodfellow was an engineer in his 20s, working for Glasgow company Kelvin Hughes, when he was tasked with finding a way for customers to withdraw money from the bank after the end of Saturday opening.

His patent application was submitted in May 1966.

Mr Goodfellow said he had not earned a penny from his invention but did enjoy a smile every time he used a machine.