27 January 2012 Last updated at 01:06 ET

Olympic star Mary Rand given freedom of the city of Wells

Mary Rand picked up three medals at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964

Olympic long jump champion Mary Rand has been given the freedom of the city of Wells.

Rand became the first British female athlete to win a track and field Olympics gold medal, in the long jump at the Tokyo Games of 1964.

She was born and grew up in the cathedral city in Somerset.

Wells City Council made the decision to honour the athlete following a campaign led by Tony Williams, a former PE teacher in the city.

Rand broke the long jump record in winning gold in Tokyo.

At the same Games, she also won a silver medal in the pentathlon and took bronze in the 100m relay.

Prior to the honour being bestowed, she said: "It would mean everything to me, you know being born in Wells and to have such a great honour bestowed on me, I would be absolutely honoured."

The last person to be awarded the freedom of Wells, Harry Patch in 2008, was one of the few surviving World War I veterans. He died the following year aged 111.