Robbie Williams honoured in his hometown

London: Singer Robbie Williams has been granted the Freedom of Stoke-on-Trent, a symbolic title to recognise civic contributions. He says it`s surreal to get the "huge honour".

The "Angels" hitmaker, currently on the British leg of his "Swings Both Ways" tour, was honoured in a ceremony held Tuesday attended by his parents, wife Ayda Field, their 21 month-daughter Teddy, and Stoke-on-Trent Lord Mayor Majid Khan. He said: "I can see how much this means to everyone in the room. I can see how proud they are of me and I am incredibly proud to be from Stoke on Trent - no matter how far away I am or how long I am away I am a Stokie... "It`s so surreal to feel I`ve got this huge honour and I haven`t totally taken it in. But it`s so poignant for me to have my little girl with me and my wife and my unborn baby. "This is Teddy`s first visit to Stoke-on-Trent. I grew up here, her life is so different to mine. At her age Stoke-on-Trent was my whole world and I dreamed of getting into another world. "All my dreams came true but as they come true you realise how much you miss the freedom you had as a kid and the safety and security you feel in your own little world. Stoke-on-Trent made me. My humour, my cheeky chappie bit, that`s all from here. Cut me and it`s through me like a stick of rock."