FORMER subpostmaster Alan Bates has insisted he is not a hero after receiving a knighthood – which he learned of while watching ex-Post Office boss Paula Vennells at the Horizon IT inquiry.

The lead campaigner, who is the title character of the ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, said he hoped the honour would be “another string to my bow to help me go forward and get some finality for people”.

Sir Alan previously turned down being made an OBE while Ms Vennells held on to her CBE award because it “felt wrong” – but calls for him to be knighted after the former chief executive returned her honour were backed by Number 10 earlier this year.

He was one of more than 550 claimants who brought legal action against the Post Office, known as the group litigation, over the Horizon IT system between 2017 and 2019.

Trial judge Mr Justice Fraser concluded that Horizon contained a number of “bugs, errors and defects” and that there was a “material risk” that shortfalls in Post Office branch accounts were caused by the system.

More than 700 subpostmasters were prosecuted by the Post Office and handed criminal convictions between 1999 and 2015 as Fujitsu’s faulty system made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.

Reacting to the knighthood, Sir Alan, of Llandudno in north Wales, told the PA news agency: “It was a bit of a surprise, it sort of came out of the blue.

“I’m quite honoured by it – to be recognised for the work that I’ve done over the years.

“It’s been a hard slog over many years.”

Sir Alan went on to explain how he had spoken to the Metropolitan Police about the investigation into the Horizon scandal, watched some of Ms Vennells’ inquiry evidence, learned of his knighthood and saw a General Election be called in the space of a few hours.

He said: “I went out and got a sandwich and came back into the inquiry waiting room, just hanging around for the start, and looked at my emails.

“And there was this letter from the honours committee, dated that day on the Wednesday, and asking me for my response by the end of the day, the same day.

“Then, within a few hours, the election is called.

“So, you can imagine, it was a bit of a mixed day that one – it’s no news and then all news, isn’t it.”

Sir Alan added: “I just wondered whether they’d done it to divert everyone off Paula.”

He was keen to address how he had previously turned down being appointed OBE – saying he did not want to offend those who had asked for him to be recognised for his work.

He told PA: “The time I was asked about the OBE, it felt wrong – certainly with Paula Vennells having the CBE for her services, so called, to Post Office and I felt it would have been quite offensive to many of the group if I’d accepted it.

“But I do know that I’ve had hundreds of emails and letters of support over the years and a lot of people do seem to think that I should receive some sort of recognition for the work that I’ve done for them or on their behalf.