Emily Brooke, who invented the Blaze Laserlight as part of her final year degree course at the university, has been awarded an MBE for services to the economy and transport.

The Laserlight, which projects a bike symbol six metres in front of the cyclist, has been hailed as a major breakthrough in safety and is now selling in 60 countries.  It has been fitted to London’s Santander Cycles and New York’s Citibikes.

Emily later invented the ‘Burner’ which has 24 LED lights, a sensor to automatically switch it on at dusk, and a snap-shut magnetic bracket.

Emily graduated from the university in 2011 in Product Design with Professional Experience. Her company, based in London, employs six people and is now researching and planning new bike safety products and a new, custom-built, bicycle.

She told her local newspaper: “I’m very honoured, very humbled, very surprised. My mum has just about stopped crying. I think it must be quite strange, you have a child and watch them grow up and then they receive an MBE. It’s an acknowledgement of the hard work that my team has put in over the years.”