Pink Floyd star Nick Mason has been handed a doctorate from bosses at his former university 50 years after he dropped out to pursue fame with the band.

The drummer enrolled on an architecture degree course at London’s Regent Street Polytechnic college in 1962 but he walked away before graduating as the band began to take off.

Now heads at the institution, which has since been renamed the University of Westminster, have recognised their former student by presenting him with an honorary doctorate of letters for his contribution to music.

Receiving the award on Monday, he said, “Studying at the Regent Street Polytechnic introduced me to some of the key people and biggest collaborators in my career, many of whom I have been lucky enough to work with over the last 40 years.

“Three (members) of Pink Floyd met there so in essence we were formed under the roof of the Polytechnic – we rehearsed in the common room in the basement and made some of our first performances there.”