Rose Ayling-Ellis has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University for the Cre ative Arts (UCA) for her contribution to acting and campaigning for the deaf community.

The multi-award-nominated actress, producer and children’s author said she was “very honoured” to receive the award at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Ms Ayling-Ellis’ first breakthrough roles were in BBC’s Casualty and EastEnders after graduating from the Surrey-based UCA with an honours degree in fashion design in 2016.

The actress, who went to school in Ashford in Kent, later won Strictly Come Dancing and starred in ITV’s thriller Code of Silence.

Ayling-Ellis, who is deaf, has used her platform to champion the British Sign Language (BSL) Act and called on the government to increase support for disabled people.

She also appeared in the BBC documentary Old Hands, New Tricks in which she taught a group of retirees BSL.