A day to celebrate Oscar-winner Dame Helen Mirren has been proposed by the council leader in the actress’s home county of Essex.
Lord Hanningfield, Conservative leader of Essex County Council, has called on the government to allow local bank holidays to celebrate local heroes.
“Helen Mirren is a great ambassador for Essex”, he said.
“Ditch the old stereotypes, Dame Helen is the perfect example of the hot bed of talent that we have in Essex.”
The 61-year-old actress attended school in Southend.
Lord Hanningfield added: “We want to celebrate her tremendous achievement in winning an Oscar.
“To celebrate this achievement I will therefore be asking the government whether they will allow us the power to designate a bank holiday in her honour throughout Essex.”
He said other counties will have other local heroes – in the worlds of sport and entertainment for example – which they may wish to celebrate with a bank holiday.
Dame Helen was named best actress at the Academy Awards for her performance in The Queen.