Westmorland Motorway Services' two farm shops at Tebay have been named best local retailer 2003' in the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards, beating several hundred contenders for the honour.

The shops were the first ever to open at a motorway service station and are located on both the northbound and southbound side of the M6. The judging panel said it loved the "entrepreneurial spirit of the whole enterprise".

Meanwhile, Orton Farmers' Market was announced overall winner of the Farmers' Markets Awards for 2003 at the national association conference held in Edinburgh. Market volunteer Greg Wilson was presented with the award by food personality Clarissa Dickson-Wright before an audience of 200 delegates from farm shops and farmers' markets throughout Britain.

The next Orton market on Saturday will be the biggest ever, with more than 40 local producers, farmers and growers offering a huge range of local specialities and festive treats.