THE contribution of one of Oxford's most colourful characters has been recognised at a special ceremony in the town hall.

Bill Heine was presented with a 'Certificate of Honour' on Friday evening as the council which he once fell out with over a 25-foot shark made him just the fourth person in history to receive the award.

Oxford Mail columnist and former BBC Radio Oxford presenter Mr Heine was honoured for his charity work and broadcasting.

The 73-year-old, who revealed last year he is fighting terminal cancer, only just made the ceremony after being admitted to hospital earlier in the day with complications connected to his illness.

Lord Mayor of Oxford, Jean Fooks, who presented Mr Heine with his award, said: "There are a small number of people who you think of as typifying Oxford and Bill is one of them.

"When they write the history books of this city in the 80s and 90s and consider who were the people who made a difference, he should certainly be included in that list.

"His broadcasting is very well known but he also does a lot behind the scenes for charity that many people will not be aware of."

Mr Heine famously fought a planning battle with Oxford City Council for six years after he installed the shark sculpture at his Headington home without permission in 1986.

Created by sculptor John Buckley, the fish was intended as a protest against the American bombing of Libya.

After the embittered battle, Mr Heine won the right to keep the shark house, which is now owned by his son Magnus Hanson-Heine, after appealing to the then secretary of state for the environment Michael Heseltine.

He dedicated the award to his friends in the room, praising their contribution to the city.

He said: "We were lucky to have a group of people who had vision and compassion in charge of taking the city into the future.

"There is still a lot that needs to be done and it is certainly not a utopia but when you see that willingness to ask questions and be engaged, it makes you think 'maybe we can do better' and make this city more special than it was before."

Mr Heine described the shark house as being seen as a 'how dare he event' at the time but believes it has helped changed the debate over public art, the effect of which is still being felt today.

Outgoing city leader Bob Price nominated Mr Heine for the award despite 'suffering' from 'his interrogative style' on the radio.

He said: "I think we probably came out roughly 50-50.

"The great thing about him is that he always knew his stuff and that is a great tribute to him.

"His contribution to the understanding of people in the city about politics and local issues has been very important."

Remembering the tussles over the shark house, which Mr Price was one of the few councillors to support at the time, he said: "There was a definite divide between the older councillors and younger ones.

"They were very worried about the prestige of the city and how it would be seen to the outside world whereas we were much more concerned about Oxford feeling like a special place that needed excitement."