THE Blur bassist Alex James picked up an honorary degree from Bournemouth university still looking almost young enough to be a student.

The 41-year-old grew up in Boscombe, Strouden Park and Southbourne, and was made a Doctor of Arts yesterday for his contribution to music and the media.

He received a scroll in front of thousands of parents and students during the Media School’s graduation ceremony at the BIC and blew a thank-you kiss to huge cheers.

Listen to an excerpt of Alex's speech below

“It was shocking to hear I’d got one,” he told the Echo afterwards.

“My mum is still doing somersaults. I think Brit awards don’t resonate with parents as much as academic achievements.”

Alex never got to complete his own French degree and joked: “My mum always hoped I would go back.

“But this is great, it means I don’t have to.”

He went to Bournemouth School and took a part-time course at the university before going to University of London where he met his future bandmates.

Blur enjoyed worldwide success with albums like Parklife, taking four Brit awards in 1995, and reformed in 2009 for an acclaimed series of festival shows.

Today, Alex presents radio shows, writes for newspapers and magazines, and makes cheese on his 200-acre farm in the Cotswolds.

He also occasionally revisits the music department of his old school and said: “There’s quite of a lot of professional musicians from Bournemouth – Gareth Malone, the editor of Gramophone, the head of Decca classical.”

Alex once lived in Southcote Road in Boscombe’s red-light district – has he been back to see all the regeneration work on the seafront?

“I tried to go down this morning but there wasn’t time,” he said.

“But I prefer Pokesdown. I was there in the summer. I prefer the grungier side of things. I don’t like the newfangled side.”