Two Hampshire heroes will be honoured by their home town next month.

As previously reported in the Daily Echo, Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Dani King and Paralympic silver and bronze medallist David Smith will be awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Eastleigh.

Now a date has been set for the ceremony to take place.

David, from Eastleigh, and Dani, from Hamble, will receive the highest honour that the borough can give in the council chamber in front of 200 guests, on February 26.

They will both be given a framed hand written scroll that includes a hand-painted local scene. Just 13 others have received the prestigious Eastleigh Borough Council accolade since the council was formed in 1974.

David won gold in boccia at Beijing’s 2008 Paralympics and picked up two further medals last year.

After winning the women’s pursuit at last year’s London Olympics, Dani has already had a celebratory stamp, a postbox painted gold and a cycle route named after her in Hamble as well as being made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours list. Mayor of Eastleigh Cllr Rupert Kyrle said: “Winning a medal at an Olympic or Paralympic Games is a tremendous achievement and I will be delighted to be presenting the Freedom of the Borough to Dani and David.”