A DIPLOMAT whose family has been connected with Hauxwell in lower Wensleydale since the mid-17th century was honoured with a knighthood last month.

Sir Richard Dalton, who is at present Her Majesty's ambassador to Tehran, was listed in the Queen's Birthday Honours List as receiving the KCMG.

Once he and his wife, Elisabeth, finally give up working in Middle Eastern trouble-spots they intend to return home for good to Hauxwell Hall and estate.

"We have strong roots in the community in lower Wensleydale. It will be great to live and work permanently at our real home," Sir Richard said.

It has been their family home since the death of his father, Maj Gen John Dalton, in 1981. After retiring from the army his father was a county councillor and then director of the Great Yorkshire Show.

"We have retained his interest and involvement in local housing, agriculture and woodland management and kept in close touch both during our home postings, and when I have worked in London, and by spending our leave there when abroad," Sir Richard said.

He joined the diplomatic service in 1970 and became a Middle East specialist. Both he and his wife have a good knowledge of the Arabic language and over the past 17 years have been in six Middle East countries.

From 1993-7, he was the consul general in Jerusalem and, in effect, ambassador to the Palestinian Authority during the early years of the peace process.

After serving as director of personnel in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1998-9, he was sent as ambassador to Libya after a 17-year break in relations. In 2002, he was moved to Iran. Official activities there are now being expanded.

When he celebrated the award of his knighthood with his embassy staff (25 from the UK and 105 Iranians) he commented: "It is a great honour and I am most grateful.

"We do not, of course, work alone: we stand on the shoulders of our colleagues at work and I would like to thank my staff in Jerusalem, Tripoli and Tehran for their commitment and hard work.

"I lay my award at the feet of my wife, too, for her work over the years, and her advice, and her rescue of me on several occasions from crises over my health."

He and Elisabeth have four grown-up children: Mary is an intensive care nurse; William is a police officer; Chloe is research assistant to John Maples MP; and Arthur is a fourth-year medical student in Manchester.