Cult music star Mark Everett, the frontman of Eels, has been awarded the freedom of the City of London - four years after he claimed he was mistaken for a terrorist on a previous visit.

He was given the honour at a formal ceremony at the Guildhall, just hours before performing at the Barbican Centre.

Everett - also known as E - achieved top 10 hits in 1997 with Novocaine For The Soul and Susan's House and the 51-year-old has continued to release a series of albums.

The bearded singer, who wore a grey suit and hat to the ceremony, said : "To go from being a suspected terrorist, to having the Freedom of the City is quite amazing. It shows that anything is possible in London. I love this place."

Everett - whose father Hugh was a pioneering quantum physicist - was nominated for his honour by two of the City of London Corporation's senior officers.

Previous musical recipients have included Bob Geldof, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.