HE may have saved millions of lives and received an OBE from the Queen, but yesterday one man received the biggest honour of all – a gold Blue Peter badge.

Professor Paul Sherlock retired after spending 37 years working for Oxfam as a water engineer and humanitarian advisor.

Over the decades, he was on the frontline of every major humanitarian disaster, from the 1980s Ethiopian famine to the 2004 Asian tsunami and last year’s Haiti earthquake.

He also appeared numerous times on iconic television show Blue Peter and yesterday received a gold badge, the highest honour the show can bestow.

It was awarded at Oxfam House in Cowley by legendary Blue Peter presenter and old friend Simon Groom.

Prof Sherlock, 65, said: “I did not know anything about this, I had no idea Simon was going to be here.

“It was 1984 when we last saw each other in Cambodia, I think we have both changed a bit.”

Prof Sherlock joined Oxfam in 1974 and together with colleague Jim Howard, was instrumental in the design of an emergency clean water supply system.

It is now used throughout the world in any major disaster, providing clean water to millions.

He said: “It was never me on my own, I could not have done any of it without the team behind me.

“I just thought I was coming to Oxfam for one job, I never thought I would be here after all this time.”

Among his more memorable moments, Prof Sherlock said the months he spent in Cambodia in 1979 and giving aid during the Rwandan genocide.

He said: “There were a few hairy moments over the years. I was in a hotel in the Sudan in 1987 when it was bombed. And then again in Baghdad and I have been in a few ambushes. But I have loved everything I have done here.”

His wife Jackie and son Andrew were there to see him retire, both saying how proud they were.

He also has another son Ian and grandsons Finley, three, and Max, one, and plans to spend his retirement lecturing and continuing to help at Oxfam.

rpope@oxfordmail.co.uk