A clutch of Cumbrian businesses have stars in their eyes after taking top honours in the northern heats of the Rural Business Awards.

The seven companies took winner trophies at a ceremony in Bolton after sweeping the board against competition from all over the region.

Wigton-based Sassy Property Styling won Best Rural Professional Services Business, Rusland Horizons Landscape Partnership in the High Furness Fells won Social Enterprise, Charity or Community Project of the Year while A Corner of Eden based near Ravenstonedale won Best Rural Tourism Business.

Winner of the Best Recreational or Outdoor Business was Newlands Adventure Centre, at Stair near Keswick, Country Puddings of Dacre won Best Rural Food Business, Kin Toffee Vodka makers, Trolle Trading Ltd, of Ulverston, won Best Rural Drink Business and Westmorland Homecare won Best Rural Start-Up.

Anne Sowerby, owner of Sassy Property Styling, said: “The Rural Business Awards have been a wonderful experience for us, and we really recommend other businesses to consider entering - you never know, you might even

win.”

Rusland Horizons is one of the first community-led Landscape Partnership Schemes to be funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Colin Barr, chairman of RH Partnership, said: “Our work is led by the community, and this award will mean so much to everyone involved in the landscape partnership.

"Programmes like the Rural Business Awards are vital to highlight the incredible work of the organisations striving to preserve the British landscape for future generations.”

A Corner of Eden is a self-catering retreat just outside Ravenstonedale on the edge of the Eden Valley.

Joint owner Debbie Greaves said: “We are so thrilled that our hard work and dedication has been recognised with the award for the Best Rural Tourism Business."

Debbie Beament, director of Newlands Adventure Centre, said:“We have helped thousands of people to experience what the great outdoors has to offer.

“We are proud of the work we do and our commitment to sustainability. We are so pleased this dedication has been recognised by the Rural Business Awards.”

Farmer’s wife and mother-of-two Mrs Mallinson said: “We are thrilled to receive the award for Best Rural Food Business.

Country Puddings started life in 2000 on our small family farm.

“The business has grown rapidly ever since. It was created out of the desire to share the joy of proper puddings, and this latest success really shows what you can achieve with a passion for your work.”

A ski-ing trip inspired Judith Wren to create Kin Toffee Vodka in 2013 after she tasted a similar drink while on holiday.

Sharon Marshall, Trolle Trading’s business development manager, explained: “We will always be rural and Cumbrian. It makes us very proud to be able to support ourselves and others in an area where jobs are not always easy to find.

“We are proud of our heritage and so feel honoured to receive the award for Best Rural Drink Business. Businesses like ours are vital to support rural communities.”

Kendal-based Westmorland Homecare was founded in 2017 by doctors Josh Macaulay and Chris Moss who had seen people unable to return home from hospital because the right support wasn’t available for them.

Caroline Gunning, Westmorland Homecare’s care manager said: “Westmorland Homecare was borne out of the belief that everyone has the right to remain in their own home for as long as possible.

“We are passionate about working in and supporting rural communities across Cumbria, and are so incredibly honoured to have all our hard-work recognised by the Rural Business Awards.

Now in its fourth year, the Rural Business Awards is run in partnership with Amazon.

Awards co-founder Jemma Clifford added: “We were blown away with the diversity of our entries this year so winning any of the categories is an extraordinary achievement – hearty congratulations to all seven prize-winners from Cumbria.”

All seven companies will now go on to represent the region at the national final in February.