NETTLECOMBE Farm picked up a prestigious prize last night (Thursday) as it was named the UK's Best Rural Tourism Business at the Rural Business Awards in Manchester.

The Whitwell farm had won the south east regional award at the end of last year to earn the right to go to the national finals, sponsored by Amazon.

Nettlecombe is a working farm that offers luxurious self-catering holiday accommodation, coarse fishing and yoga retreats.

The farm, which has been in the Morris family for over a century, has nine converted self-catering properties, three coarse fishing lakes as well opportunities for guests to meet and feed the residents, including alpacas, donkeys, goats and reindeer.

The farm is well loved by guests whose feedback year after year has meant they have kept their place in the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame and won My Isle of Wight Awards for the ‘cosiest hideaway’ and the ‘best place for a shindig’.

Jose Morris, who owns the farm, said she was delighted to pick up the national prize and paid tribute to the team at Nettlecombe.

She said: "This is not about me, it is about the fabulous people who have helped us build a sustainable, successful business."