Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson amongst those on King's Birthday Honours list

Authors Julia Donaldson and Malorie Blackman, a number of England women's football team, and rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield have been named in the King's special Birthday Honours list.

The Birthday Honours List recognises celebrities and local community heroes for their amazing achievements or service to the country, by awarding them with honours such as an OBE, MBE or CBE.

The awards are handed out twice a year in the UK - once at New Year, and then again in June on the monarch's official birthday.

This year, around 1,200 people from across the UK received an honour in the latest list.

Keep reading to find out who else made this year's list and how the list works.

Children's authors Julia Donaldson and Malorie Blackman have both been made dames for their services to literature.

Both authors are former Children's Laureates and their best known works - The Gruffalo and Noughts & Crosses - have been adapted for the screen.

Dame Julia called the honour "a very happy surprise".

She explained: "I'm so grateful for all the enthusiastic support I've had during my career from people in the book world – those in the very many libraries, schools and bookshops I've visited over the years, my wonderful illustrators, the publishers and literacy charities I've been involved with, and of course my readers.

"Going back further, perhaps my biggest debt of all is to the library which was in walking distance of my childhood home and the librarian who helped me discover the books and authors that I came to love.

"Without that place and person I probably would never have become a children's writer – let alone a dame," Dame Julia added.

Several members of the Lionesses squad, who won the Euros last summer, have been appointed MBEs.

They include Michelle Agyemang, Jess Carter, Hannah Hampton, Lauren James, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo.

Rugby League legend and motor neurone disease (MND) campaigner Kevin Sinfield has been awarded a knighthood for his service to sport and charity.

Sir Kevin is only the second player in history from the sport to be knighted, after Billy Boston.

"Since I first played rugby when I was seven, rugby league has given me so much.

"I am particularly proud to follow in the footsteps of the great Sir Billy Boston with rugby league's second-ever knighthood in over 130 years of the sport. Sir Billy overcame so much in his life and is still loved by the game," Sir Kevin added.

Former rugby union player Emily Scarratt has been made an OBE.

The Red Roses' record points scorer retired last autumn after winning her second women's rugby union World Cup with England.

The UK honours system is a way to award and recognise celebrities, government workers, and ordinary people for their achievements or services to the country.

The awards are handed out twice a year in the UK - once at New Year, and then again on the monarch's official birthday.

Anyone can be put forward for an honour, but all nominations have to go through a special procedure before the final list is approved and revealed.

The decision about who gets an honour - and the type of honour they get - is made by a special committee.

The committee's decisions go to the prime minister and then, finally, to the King to check it.

Not everyone wants an honour and people are allowed to turn down the award, which occasionally happens (for example, Roald Dahl turned down his award).

People can also have their honour taken away from them if they behave in a bad way.

The honours list consists of knights and dames, appointments to the Order of the British Empire and gallantry and bravery awards.

Different people receive different awards depending on what they have done. The main awards include:

Companion of honour

Knight or Dame

CBE

OBE

MBE

BEM

There are others, though, including the Royal Red Cross for those in the nursing services, and the King's Police Medal and Fire Service Medal for those working in these areas.