Still the most important awards show of the year

Cowell praise for Mirror man who made it happen

- ROS WYNNE JONES

An extraordinary event happened 25 years ago at the Dorchester Hotel in London - a gathering of the great and the good sat listening to the stories of ordinary, everyday heroes.

That night, as celebs mixed with lifeboatmen and royalty with bus drivers, our Pride of Britain Awards were born.

It was the only ceremony that could have honoured 19-year-old Michael Owen for his goal against Argentina alongside the Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam for fighting for peace while battling a brain tumour.

And the only awards where the Spice Girls would not look out of place next to Doreen and Neville Lawrence, whose dignified campaign for justice following the murder of their son Stephen had just led to the damning Macpherson Report.

But if there was ever anyone who most deserved a Pride of Britain Award it was its architect, Mirror editor Peter Willis, who died three years ago at 54.

And this week his wife and sons were honoured with a special award presented by Simon Cowell, who said: "Peter, this is still, in my opinion, the most important awards show of the year."